Shattered
by RGAP-48
Summary: -COMPLETE- Donna and Hyde return to Point Place five years after graduating from high school to win back their old loves, Eric and Jackie. But what will happen when Donna and Hyde return to find Eric and Jackie married.... to each other? JH and ED
1. Leaving San Diego

Shattered

  
  


Chapter One:

  
  


Donna neatly placed the pile of papers into her pocketbook and left her small cubicle in the now deserted room. Ever since she had gotten a job with the local paper in San Diego she had thrown herself into story after story. She had worked there for nearly two years and now she was going to leave it all behind. Then again, she wasn't exactly a stranger to leaving the things she cared most about in life behind her.

Before she left the building to go into the garage she took one last look behind her to check whether or not she had left anything behind. She hadn't. She wondered if she would get another job as good as she had here. She had been a very respected journalist and all her co-workers had looked up to her. She hoped that it would be the same when she began working at another newspaper office in Point Place.

Point Place. Those two words continued to ring in her ears and she backed out of the garage and headed for home. It had been five years since she had been there, five years since she had seen Kelso, Fez, Jackie or...... Eric. She and Hyde had left all of it behind, bored with the slow paces of the lives they had been leading. She and Hyde had run away to chase their dreams without the pressure of having to depend on or be depended on by Eric or Jackie. They left their friends with only a note, not saying where they were going but only that they were leaving Point Place. And it had been fun for a while, seeing places they never thought they would see, working their way through college, getting jobs, working their way up the ladder in those jobs....... But it had only been five years before they realized what huge mistakes they had both had made.

Now they were going to return to Point Place. Donna was both excited and apprehensive. They had no idea what they were going to find when they got back. She wondered if she and Hyde were crazy to even bother trying to win back the people they had so carelessly thrown away over half a decade ago. But crazy or not, she still loved Eric and Hyde still loved Jackie. And no matter what they found when they returned to Point Place, they weren't going to let go of Jackie and Eric easily this time around.

  
  


Hyde threw the last of his things into his pick-up truck. He and Donna planned to leave early the next morning. The road trip from San Diego to Point Place would take around three days and they wanted to get there as soon as possible. He leaned against the truck and allowed himself to picture Jackie's face in his mind. He thought about her long dark hair, ivory skin and smooth, soft lips. God, he missed her. He had been such an idiot to give her up in the first place. And for what? What he and Donna had experienced...... it had been fun, it had been something new, but it wasn't enough. He should never have left Jackie in the first place, hell he needed her in his life. All he had to do was make her see that and everything would be perfect.

He went back inside his apartment, planning to get some sleep before the long day of driving he and Donna had ahead of him. But when he got inside he saw that his apartment was not empty as it was when he had went outside to load up the truck. Sitting on his couch was someone he hadn't seen in a long time and he was almost speechless when he saw his tall childhood friend.

"Kelso!" he exclaimed in amazement, "What are doing in my apartment?"

Kelso jumped off the couch and went over to give his old friend a hug, "Well Donna and I have been mailing each other off and on for a while. I was living in LA and when Donna mailed me about a week ago and told me you guys were gonna go back to Point Place I decided that I wanted to come too. I really miss the old gang."

"I know what you mean." Hyde muttered under his breath, "But why didn't Donna tell me that she was in touch with you?"

"Beats me," Kelso shrugged, "It wasn't like a big thing, you know, some birthday cards, Christmas cards, as long as I didn't tell Eric, Jackie or Fez where you guys were. She said you guys didn't want them to come chasing after you. But anyways, can I sleep here tonight?"

"Sure." Hyde responded, not really caring one way or another, "So, where is Donna?"

"Right here," Donna answered, "I was just going to the bathroom."

"I am so excited, man." Kelso said eagerly, grinning from ear to ear. It looked like although five years might have changed Kelso somewhat, deep down he was still the same enthusiastic, sweet person they had known a long time ago, "I love road trips. And then when we get back to Point Place we're gonna see Fez and Eric and Jackie and Laurie and-"

"Kelso, when exactly was the last time you talked to any of those people?" Hyde interrupted curiously.

"I don't know, maybe around two or three years ago. But who counts?" Kelso returned indifferently. Hyde and Donna exchanged nervous glances. They had obviously both been hoping that Kelso would be able to fill them in on what they should expect when they got back at least a little. However, it was clear that he knew nothing that they didn't, so they would just have to prepare themselves for whatever surprises awaited them.

  
  


"Only ten miles until we reach Point Place." Hyde announced as he stopped at a red light. Donna was sitting next to him in the front seat and Kelso was snoring in the back seat. As he waited for the light to turn green he watched as Donna turned the page in the photo album she had kept. He eyed the picture of Donna, Eric, Fez, Jackie, Kelso and him taken by Mrs. Forman right before they went off to the disco. Hyde finally drew his eyes away from Jackie's smiling face and stepped on the gas. Donna sighed wistfully as she traced Eric's face with her finger.

"Why did we ever leave them?" she said aloud, looking to Hyde for the answer.

Hyde could only think about it for a minute, "We were stupid." he replied finally, "Stupid and afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Donna asked in surprise.

"Afraid of settling down to be with the people we loved for the rest of our lives. Hyde turned to Donna, giving her a weak smile, "But I'm not afraid anymore."

"I'm not afraid either." Donna whispered, more to herself than to Hyde as she looked into Eric's pale blue eyes.


	2. Oh Dear

Chapter Two

  
  


Kelso, Donna and Jackie got out of the truck and walked up to the Forman's front door. After a few seconds of hesitation Hyde finally knocked lightly on the door. The three friends all broke into grins when they saw Eric's mother standing in front of them. Five years hadn't changed Kitty Forman much, maybe a few more wrinkles and a few more streaks of gray in her hair. But that was it. She had the same caring eyes, the same bouncy hair and sweet expression.

"Well, Steven, Michael, Donna!" she exclaimed immediately, "It's been such a long time since I've seen any of you." she stepped forward to embrace each person standing outside her home.

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Forman." Hyde told her earnestly as she ushered them inside. Donna felt waves of anxiety roll over her. Once the shock of seeing her wore off Eric's parents, how would they react to her return to Point Place? After all, she had walked out on their son when she was supposed to get married to him. She wondered what they thought of her now.

Mr. Forman was sitting in the living room, reading the newspaper. When he footsteps approaching he set down the paper and looked up at the three people his wife had brought inside his house.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked in surprise. His eyes fell upon Donna and she could see the contempt he felt for her boring into her. She winced and lowered her gaze. She couldn't look at her almost-father-in-law.

"They came back to get Jackie and Eric back." Kelso spoke up, smiling brightly at Mr. Forman, who remained almost stone-faced. Kitty Forman was a different story.

"Oh, dear." she said quietly, shaking her head. She looked at Hyde and Donna with a pained expression.

"What's wrong?" Donna asked, her voice more shrill than usual, "They're both okay right?"

"Oh, they're fine." Kitty Forman assured her, "It's just that they've-"

"It just that they've gotten over the two of you walking out on them." Red finished for her, then gave the group a half smile, "But you can see them tonight. They're going to be at a party at that new club a few blocks away. Your little foreign friend owns it now."

"Fez?" Kelso asked in amazement, "Wow, I didn't see that coming."

"The party starts at seven tonight. I'm sure the two of them will be shocked to see you." Red added.

"But..." Red silenced Kitty with a look and she changed her mind about what she was going to say, "You three really need to come have dinner with us. We have a lot to catch up on. How about six-thirty tomorrow night?"

"Sounds good to me," Kelso spoke up, "I've always loved your cooking, Mrs. Forman."

Kitty Forman flashed Kelso a smile that didn't reach all the way up to her eyes. Donna's journalist's instinct told her that Red and Kitty Forman were holding something back from them. But instead of trying to find out what that something was, she said good-bye to the older couple and got into the truck to drive back to the hotel that Donna, Kelso and Hyde were staying in.

  
  


"Red, how could you set them up like that?" Kitty demanded angrily once Hyde, Donna and Kelso had left.

"Aw, come on, Kitty, they deserve to have a rude awakening." Red countered, not looking the least bit guilty, "I mean, god dammit, after everything Donna put Eric through and after what Hyde put Jackie through, it's only fair that they should suffer."

"Oh dear." Kitty whispered, "This is terrible."

Red leaned back in the chair, as calm as his wife was tense, "I'm sure it's just a heat of the moment thing anyway." he tried to convince Kitty, "Donna and Steven have made it very clear that they don't have it in them to stay in one place for long. Given time, everything will go back to normal and it will be like Donna and Steven never came back

  
  


Donna admired how attractive both Hyde and Kelso looked in their black dinner jackets. She had decided not to go to the party that night and would stay at the hotel so she could get a portfolio of her best writing together for a job interview at the local Point Place newspaper office. She was really excited that she had only been in Point Place for one day and had managed to get in touch with a new place where she might get to work.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Hyde asked before he and Kelso left the hotel room.

Donna shook her head, "I can't face Eric in front of so many people. I want us to be alone when I see him for the first time." Even Donna's excitement at the prospect of seeing Eric again was suppressed by the idea of seeing him without the privacy the two of them deserved.

"If you're sure." Hyde said uncertainly. After he discovered where Jackie was going to be that night, nothing could stop him from going to see her. A shiver of anticipation crawled up his spine when he thought about seeing his beautiful ex-girlfriend for the first time in so long.

"Come on, Hyde." Kelso said impatiently, "We don't want to miss anything."

Hyde and Kelso said good-bye to Donna and exited the hotel room. Once they were gone, Donna pulled a picture out from underneath the pillow of the bed she was sleeping in at the hotel. It wasn't her own smiling face that caught her eye, but the smiling face of Eric Forman. She closed her eyes and remembered. She remembered the first time Eric had kissed her, the first time he told her he loved her and the first time they had made love. There had never been anyone else in her life like Eric. There may have been other men in her life, but she didn't feel the same way for them that she did for Eric. There were two different men she had met through work she had gone on a few casual dates with, but neither of them meant anything to her. She and Hyde had even tried dating for about two weeks. It hadn't taken them long to realize that there was no romantic chemistry between them. Not like she had had with Eric.

"Eric!" she whispered to herself, staring at Eric's face in the picture, "I've always loved you. And I know there's no way you could have stopped loving me. We're going to be together again." she pushed the slightly wrinkled picture back under the pillow and pictured what her reunion with Eric would be like.

  
  


Hyde entered the club that was crowded with men in tuxedos and women in long dresses. He saw a lot of people he recognized from high school and even Fez. He made a mental note to go talk with his old friend later but for now there was only one thing he wanted to do. His eyes scanned the crowd of people until he saw the person he was looking for. The sight of Jackie Berkhart after five years took his breath away. There she was, in an emerald green dress that emphasized every curve. Her hair was a little longer that it had been when he last saw her, but it was still the same long, dark, silky hair that caressed her shoulders in loose waves. Quickly he made his way over to her.

After tapping her on the shoulder and feeling the electric shock of her touching her warm skin, she turned around and looked into her ex-boyfriend's eyes. She just stared at him in shock, her mouth opened slightly in surprise.

Not thinking of anything better to do, Hyde held out his hand, and looked deep into Jackie's eyes, "May I have this dance?" he asked softly and held his breath as he awaited her answer.


	3. She's All I Have

Chapter Three

  
  


Jackie's POV

  
  


I just stood there, staring at the person who had hurt me more than anyone else ever had. He left me, he didn't even say good-bye. He didn't love me enough to stay. And now here he was, asking me to dance with him like nothing had ever happened.

My eyes blazing, I looked him straight in the eye, "Why are you here?"

"I came to see you." Steven told me in a soft voice, "I missed you. And I never stopped loving you, Jacks."

Even hearing those sweet words come out of his mouth didn't make me even want to come close to forgiving him. After he left me, I waited for him to come back. I was positive he wouldn't stay away from me long. But the days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Finally all those months added up to five long years. It would take a lot more than just words to convince me that he really cared for me at all.

"I can't believe you have the nerve to be here." I told him, my voice caustic, "You have no right to come back into my life and try to ruin what is supposed to be a wonderful night for me. And your ex best friend."

He just stared at me for a moment before replying, "Eric?"

I took a deep breath and smiled smugly at him, "Yes. Eric. We decided to have an anniversary party. To celebrate the five wonderful years we've been married."

"Liar." he shot back immediately, but his eyes gave away how stung he was by my words. I knew he would feel even worse once he realized that I was actually telling the truth.

"I am not lying." I told him firmly, "Eric and I have been married five years. We even have a four year old daughter." I thought about my beautiful blonde daughter back at home with the baby-sitter.

"You two didn't waste any time, did you?" he said with disdain. I felt my cheeks heat up with embarrassment.

"I didn't do anything wrong." I snapped back, "You were the one who left me, not the other way around."

Steven snorted and shook his head, "Come on, Jackie. You married my best friend almost as soon as you found out I was gone. Is that what it's all about with Jackie? Whatever gets you ahead?"

I reeled back, outraged at his harsh words. After everything we had been through, was that really what he thought of me? That I would go after whatever got me ahead without regards to anyone else? I thought he knew me better than that.

But one look at his face and I knew he didn't mean what he was saying. I had hurt him with the news of my marriage to Eric and in turn, he had used his own cruel words to hurt me back.

"You are not going to make me feel guilty, Steven Hyde." I told him a strong, clear voice, "I love Eric and I will not let you destroy our marriage. If you really thought you could come back here and find that I was stupid enough to wait around for you, then you were very wrong." 

I was about to turn and walk away when I heard Eric's voice from behind me.

"Oh my god, Hyde!" he cried. I turned around to see the horrified expression on his face, "What are you doing here?"

I reached out to touch Eric's hand, my assurance that I wasn't going to leave him. He shot me a grateful glance before diverting his attention back to his old friend.

"I think we should go outside." he told Steven, glaring at him slightly. Steven nodded and the two of them began to walk away. I felt tears prick my eyelids but I wiped at them violently. I wasn't going to cry. This was my anniversary party and I was going to have a good time. Even if it killed me.

I slid into a booth, and pretended to fumble around for something in my purse when someone slid into the other side of the booth. The curious expression on my face turned to one of pure delight when I looked up to see Kelso grinning at me.

"Michael!" I shrieked, giving him a brilliant smile. Michael had left a year or two before and I had missed him a lot, "It's so good to see you again."

He smiled warmly at me, "It's good to see you too, Jacks. How have you been?"

I set my purse aside, preparing for a conversation with my first love and long-time friend.

  
  


Hyde's POV

  
  


"Why did you come back?" Eric demanded once we were out of earshot from the rest of the crowd. He didn't even bother to be pleasant, he just got right down to the real subject at hand. He now hated me, I could see it in his eyes. I felt a pang of regret, wondering why I had ever decided to burn so many bridges and alienate the best friend I ever had.

"I wanted to see all of you again." I told him lamely.

"That's not going to work you know." he told, his face void of any emotions. At that moment he looked so much like his father it scared me. Eric once told me that Red treated him the way he did because Red had been subjected to so many disappointments of his own that he wanted his son to be prepared for how awful life could be. Obviously losing Donna had caused Eric to become angry and bitter, just like Red.

"What are you talking about?" I managed to respond.

"I know you came back to try and take my wife away from me." he said matter-of-factly. My breath caught in my throat when I heard him say those words. I finally managed to speak again.

"She-she said you had a kid." I stammered, looking at Eric for confirmation.

Eric glowered at me before answering, "Yes, we do. A little girl, her name is Victoria. We call her Tory for short."

"So, you love Jackie?" I asked, praying he wouldn't say yes.

He sighed and refused to look at me, "Please don't take her away from me. She and Victoria all I have left."

Guiltily I lowered my own gaze. I wondered if the night would have turned out different if Donna had come with me to the party. Maybe if she had, he wouldn't be out her begging me not to take Jackie away from him.

"I'm not going to make any promises." I replied in my best Zen voice.

He looked up at me darkly, "Fine. But you hurt Jackie too much for her ever to take you back. You'd be wasting your time to even try."

I watched Eric stalk away and then I heard another familiar voice.

"I could have sworn I saw you, but I decided to come out and make sure I was right." I saw Fez standing in front of me and I grinned.

"Fez." I hugged my friend, and felt happy for the first time since I had first seen Jackie.

  
  


Donna's POV

  
  


At around ten thirty that night Kelso and Hyde returned to the hotel. Fez came in behind them.

"Fez!" I exclaimed, jumping off the bed and embracing him.

"Hello, Donna." he said, almost all traces of his foreign accent gone. I guess a lot of changes can take place in five years.

I finally looked over at Hyde, "So, did you see Jackie? And Eric?" I asked him excitedly. My excitement quickly subsided when I saw the look on Hyde's face.

"Maybe you should sit down." he said cautiously and I did as he said. He exhaled loudly and fidgeted with the collar on his jacket.

"Jackie and Eric are married." he said so quietly I could barely make out the words. But I still heard the words and they cut like a knife.

"No!" I cried, "That can't be true."

Fez regarded me morosely, "It is true, Donna." he told me, "I was at the wedding. And I was there when Jackie had their daughter."

"They don't have a daughter." I shook my head furiously, looking at Hyde, hoping he would tell me that they were just playing a sick joke on me. But I saw the gloomy look on his face and I felt my heart sink.

"He loves Jackie." I whispered to myself, temporarily forgetting Hyde, Kelso and Fez were in the room, "He doesn't love me anymore."

"I don't know if he loves her." Fez objected, "I think they want everyone to think they are happier than they really are. Deep down I don't think that they really are all that much in love with each other."

"I have to get Eric back." I said determinedly, "I can't be without him any longer. When I'm not with him, I feel so lost and empty inside. It's like I'm only half a person."

"And I feel the same way about Jackie." Hyde spoke up.

Fez grinned slyly at the two of us, "Well, then I think I can be of service there." he said.

"I'll help you guys out too." Kelso chimed in, "But how can you help, Fez?"

"It's very ironic, you know." Fez continued to smile, "Eric manages the club that I own and my wife is Jackie's boss. She and Jackie are both fashion designers for a large company."

"How does that help us?" Hyde asked.

"Well, it will ensure that if Hyde wants to get together with Jackie without interference from Eric, Laurie and I can arrange it. The same thing with Donna and Eric." Fez explained.

"It will work." I said optimistically, then sighed happily, "I can't wait to see Eric again."

"He's different now." Hyde warned me, "He acted a lot like his dad. It scared the crap out of me, to be honest."

"He can't be that different." I returned, not wanting to believe what Hyde was saying. Eric couldn't have turned out the same way Red did. Deep down he still had to be the same wonderful person I knew five years ago.

**********************************************************************

Sorry I haven't put in any Eric/Donna interactions yet but there will definitely be some in the next chapter. So if you want more, then please read and review.


	4. Not Okay

Chapter Four

  
  


Donna took deep, shaky breaths as she walked up Eric's front walk. She had been dropped off by Fez, who had given Eric the day off and made sure Jackie was at work. Their daughter, Tory, was with Kitty and Red, so Donna would have Eric to herself.

After mentally preparing herself for the worst, Donna took one last deep breath and knocked tentatively on the door. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the door swung open. Donna stifled a gasp when she saw him. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a navy blue sweater. His pale blue eyes bore into hers and she could see the surprise in them. What was more, she could see the same love she had seen from him long ago, reflecting in his eyes. She had forgotten how much she really loved him until that moment. She opened her mouth to speak but then she saw the look in his eyes change. The look of love and surprise was replaced by one of anger and bitterness.

Before Donna could say a word, Eric slammed the door in her face. Once she registered the fact that he was actually shutting her out, she lost it. She had tried to always keep her emotions in tact before she came home. But now all the loneliness, frustration, sadness and love for Eric was overflowing and she couldn't contain it anymore. She burst into tears and banged on the door.

"Eric!" she shouted through her tears, "Please don't do this to me, Eric! I have to talk to you!" Donna finally collapsed on the front step, her body wracked with sobs. But through her heartbroken cries, she tried to convince Eric to open the door.

"I'm so sorry." she wailed, "I never meant to hurt you so much. God, I'm sorry." the tears had dripped down her cheeks, neck and were dampening the pretty blouse she had worn for her reunion with Eric. She had made sure to dress extra nice in the simple off-white top and grey, knee-length skirt. She had worn make-up and brushed her hair until it shone when the sun hit it. She almost never dressed up that much, but she had wanted to do it for the person she loved more than anyone else. Obviously it had been a wasted effort though.

She sat there for almost half an hour, crying and begging him to open the door. He hadn't appeared at all and she gave up hope. Emotionally drained, she closed her eyes and let the tears fall onto the cement step. She suddenly felt two strong arms pick her up and bring her to her feet. She knew it couldn't be Eric, since there had been no sounds of the door opening. She turned to see Kelso looking down at her sympathetically.

"Come on, Donna." he said softly, "I'll take you back to the hotel."

She got into his van and he began driving. Even when they were a good distance away from Eric's home, Donna still continued to cry.

"He doesn't want me anymore." Donna sobbed as Kelso stopped in the parking lot of the hotel, "He hates me, Kelso."

Kelso had never seen Donna so out of control and he was worried about her. Not knowing what else he could do, he leaned over, wrapped his arms around her and held her until her sobs subsided.

  
  


Eric's POV

  
  


Once I heard the car pull away and drive off, I stood up and looked out the window. There was no sign of Donna or Kelso. Now that she was gone, I felt drained. I had spent twenty five minutes sitting near the front door, listening to Donna plead with me to give her another chance. But I couldn't. She hurt me so much that she couldn't possibly expect me to take her back into my arms like it was all going to be okay. It wasn't okay. And even if I wanted to take her into my arms and forgive her and be with her, I couldn't do that anymore. I was married to Jackie. We even had a child. Why would I leave that all behind for the person who wouldn't stay with me in the first place?

Despite all my reservations, I still knew that I loved her. She and I were made for each other. If I wasn't sure before, I was sure now. That was the horrible thing. No matter how perfect some people were for each other, they still might not get their happy ending. Donna ruined everything we had. There wasn't any way to get it back.

And even though she hurt me, it was still torture to hear her right outside my door, crying like that. Ever since I first met, seeing her cry just tore me up inside. And hearing her cry was just as bad. I don't know how I restrained myself from opening that door and going to her. Hearing her beg me to give her another chance made me want to take her in my arms and kiss away all the pain she was feeling. But even if I did that, my pain would still be there. The pain that I had buried deep inside me returned when I saw Hyde with Jackie last night and Donna standing on my front door this afternoon. Old scars were being ripped opened and it hurt like hell.

Nothing good had come out of Hyde and Donna leaving. To make it worse, they were running off together. Jackie and I didn't know what to make of that. So we went to each other for comfort. We kissed and held and touched each other for comfort. We slept together two months after Donna and Hyde left to ease the pain of thinking we would never see the people we loved again. That was in August and they left in June. Two months later we had our wedding and Jackie was pregnant. It was all a comfort thing, there was no way either of us loved each other.

But actually, there was one good thing that had come out of it all. We had Tory, the sweetest, most beautiful girl I had ever known. Even though I didn't love Jackie, I loved her. From the moment I first held her, I was amazed at the sweet naiveness in her eyes. I smiled when I pictured her blonde head of hair and mischievous blue eyes. If only she was me and Donna's. If only Donna had never left.

I swore loudly and pounded my fist against the wall. Why did they have to come back? Everything was fine before they came. Not great, but fine. They had screwed up the whole cycle of life as Jackie and I knew it. And the worst part was, I couldn't decide whether it was a good or bad thing and how I would react to this in the end.

  
  


"Let me guess," Hyde said wryly when Donna returned to the hotel and he saw her mascara streaked face, "Eric wasn't happy about you being back either?"

Donna sniffled a little, "Why does it have to be so hard? Was what we did really that bad?"

Kelso and Fez just stared at her. It was only a few seconds before it unnerved her, "Stop looking at me like that."

"You don't understand." Fez shook his head, "Eric and Jackie were so shocked and upset when they realized you had left them. Eric swore he'd hate you both for the rest of his life for this. And Jackie..... well she almost said as much."

"Especially about you, Donna." Kelso added, "Man, she'd like scratch your eyes out if she had the chance."

"Why?" Donna looked at Fez and Kelso with horror.

"They thought you guys ran off to go elope together or something like that, I think." Kelso replied, "We all thought somewhere along those lines, even if we didn't talk about it much."

"How could you all be so stupid?" Hyde asked, disdain in his voice, "Donna and I are all wrong for each other. We're just friends."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Fez decided, "What matters is that Hyde gets Jackie and Donna gets Eric."

Hyde just looked at Fez for a moment before speaking, "Why are you so eager to help us anyway, Fez?"

Fez stared at the comforter on the bed, then looked up at his three friends, "I have spent five years watching Jackie and Eric go through life unhappy. They do not love each other, and they certainly cannot bring themselves to hate you. If only you four could straighten everything out, it would all be okay."

"And maybe someday, I'll find some nice girl that will like me." Kelso spoke up, "And Fez has Laurie, so we'll all be happy."

"If only it were that simple." Donna sighed wearily.

"You'll get Eric back." Fez assured her, "It's just a matter of time."


	5. Tainted

Chapter Five

  
  


Jackie woke up with a warm body lying next to her. At first she couldn't remember who it was. Then she remembered how utterly lonely she had been feeling the night before. The combination of that with a very stoned Eric had been enough to get them to sleep together. Usually she and Eric slept on opposite sides of the bed. Now his arms were wrapped around her as he stirred in his sleep.

"Donna...." she heard him murmur and she wriggled out of his grasp like she was on fire. She got out of the bed and threw a blanket over her naked body. She then moved on to the bathroom to take a quick shower before going to work. She didn't realize that Eric was now awake.

He also got out of bed and pulled on a pair of boxers. He was going to be at work until six that night and Jackie would be at her own work until god knows when. The events of the day before were slightly blurred, but he could still make out the look on Donna's face when he saw her standing on his front step. Remembering the hopeful, adoring expression on her face was enough to make him cringe. Had he done the wrong thing by not giving her another chance? He didn't know yet, but it wasn't like being a bartender at Fez's club took a lot out of him. He would have plenty of time to think about it there.

  
  


Jackie's POV

  
  


I was sitting at my desk hard at work that afternoon. I was going to have to stay late that night if I was going to finish the sketches for Laurie by the next morning. When Laurie had asked me to sketch out some lingerie designs for the upcoming charity fashion show, I had been ecstatic. I couldn't wait to see my clothing designs on other people. I was too engrossed in my work to hear the door to my office swing open and footsteps nearing my desk. Finally I snapped out of my reverie when I heard someone clearing their throat beside me. Startled, I jumped when I looked into the icy blue eyes of Steven Hyde.

"How did you get in here?" I demanded in a shrill voice, "God, that's what my secretary is for. To keep people like you out."

"Am I distracting you from your work?" he asked in a teasing voice, then picked up my large sketching notebook.

"Give that back." I snapped, making a futile attempt to snatch the book back from him.

"I'd like to see you in this." he commented. He had flipped a few pages back to pair of very revealing lacy white lingerie.

I flushed slightly at closed the notebook, "Did you need something, Steven?" I asked skeptically.

"You." he replied without hesitation. I had to cover my mouth with one hand to hide the smile I knew my forming across my lips. Steven was in rare form this morning and it was very entertaining. But it would take more than that to get me to forgive him.

"I'm married, Steven." I reminded him, and, even though it was a lie, I couldn't resist, "And I love Eric."

"No you don't." he said in a knowing tone that never ceased to irritate me. He had always understood me better than anyone else and I knew he wasn't believing a word I was saying.

"Yes I do." I retorted, "In fact, Eric and I had a very lovely time together last night. In our bed." I added emphatically.

Steven Hyde raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. God, I loved him so much there was nothing more I wanted to do than wrap my arms around him and kiss him passionately. But I was going to be realistic this time. I was going to be Zen, the way Steven had taught me to be over five years ago. If I made him believe that I didn't love him anymore, maybe he would take off again and leave Eric and I alone. Then everything would go back to normal. Even if I wasn't sure that I wanted it to.

"I have work to do." I told him when he continued to remain silent, "Please leave."

He sighed at shot me a look of anguish, "All right, Jackie, I'll go." he told me, "But this isn't the end. I will come back and next time I'm not going to leave so easily."

I don't know what came over me but I couldn't help but call after him, "Why now, Steven? You didn't love me enough before to stay with me. Why should this time around be any different?"

He turned back around, his eyes revealing so much regret and agony it almost hurt to look at him, "I always loved you, Jacks. With every bone in my body. And I know that deep down you've known it all along."

"No, I haven't." I whispered softly to myself as I watched him walk out the door.

  
  


Hyde's POV

  
  


Later that night, Donna came back from her job interview. It was somewhere around a quarter after six, I think. They told her that they really liked her work and had a position open for her. She was so happy, which was a good thing. After she had gotten back from her episode with Eric, she had been an emotional basket case. At least she was more her old self now.

Fez and Kelso came back from Fez's club a little before Donna. Kelso had gotten a job at the club and Fez had offered me a job there as well. But I told him I was going to look around a bit first. However, my main priority was getting Jackie back. She had been very spiteful and callous at her work that day. I had already tried to win her back with two different approaches and both had failed. If I wanted Jackie to see that I still loved her, then I was going to have to pull out all the stops in my performance. Gifts, love notes, god knows what else I was going to have to do before she came back to me. But there was no doubt in my mind that was would. I had seen it in her eyes that day, the fury and hurt tainted by a love that refused to fade away.

"Jackie's still angry," I told my friends once they were all settled in the hotel room, "And you know what? I can't blame her."

Donna spoke up in a gloomy voice, "Eric and I were supposed to get married. And I just left without even warning him. I guess I don't blame him either."

"We've been through all this." Fez said impatiently, "What we need is a plan?"

"Plan?" Kelso repeated blankly.

Donna tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and a grin lighted up on her face, "You guys, remember how Jacks used to always make up those crazy schemes and get us involved somehow?"

"Yes..." I said, starting to see what she and Fez were getting at, "So we have to out scheme the Queen of Scheming?"

"That's right." Donna smiled smugly, "And I know we can do it. All we need to do is think one up."

"I could see it happening." Kelso said slowly, "We'll be a great team. Donna's the brains, Fez has the connections to Jackie and Eric, Hyde's the one with all the guts and I supply all the charm and charisma."

Fez laughed, "And Jackie doesn't know Donna is here, right?" he asked and we nodded in confirmation, "Good. I'm sure we can somehow use that to our advantage."

Before we could forge ahead and begin planning, Donna's cell phone rang. She snatched it off the coffee table and turned it on.

"Hello?" I watched the placid look on Donna's face turn to one of surprise, "Eric? How did you get this number?" after another pause she turned to Fez, who had an innocent grin pasted on his face, "From Fez? Come over? I guess I could."

I looked from Kelso to Fez, whose mouths were open in surprise. Eric had just found out about Donna's return the previous day and he was already calling her to invite her over. What could he possibly want?

"Sure, I'll be there in about ten minutes." she hung up and tugged at her hair nervously, "I guess we'll have to put this plan-making business on hold." she said, "Eric's wants me to come over."

"Did he say why?" I asked. She shook her head and jumped off the chair she had been sitting in.

"I wonder what he wants." Fez murmured, "He seemed very distracted at the club today."

I had no clue what Donna would find when she returned to Eric's home either. It was hard to say whether I thought it would be good or bad. I guess all Fez, Kelso and I could do was wait for Donna to bring back some news when she got back from Eric's.

  
  


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Okay, there is a strong possibility of an intimate scene between Eric and Donna in the next chapter. But I will only put this in if I get five reviews for chapter five. And, one of the character's secrets will also be revealed in the next chapter IF I get those five reviews. But if I don't, I guess you'll all just have to suffer, lol. So R/R if you want more.


	6. Our Marriage Is A Sham

Chapter Six

  
  


Donna knocked on the door to the Forman home for the second time since she had returned to Point Place. Eric almost immediately opened the door and gave her a little smile.

"I was wrong to greet you the way I did before." Eric told her somewhat shyly.

"What do you mean?" Donna asked curiously.

"I mean, I should have greeted you like this," Eric elaborated, wrapping his arms around Donna's waist and kissing her firmly on the mouth. Donna melted into his arms and they kissed passionately for a few minutes. Finally Donna came back to reality and pulled away.

"We can't do this here." she said, gesturing to the modest home surrounded by neighboring houses. He looked around at them and realized what she was talking about.

"You're right." he agreed and he pulled Donna inside his home. Eric pulled Donna by the hand up the stairs to his home and Donna couldn't resist him. As they walked up the stairs, they were still nipping at each other's lips with desire, making it quite hard to get up the stairs. As Donna's tongue explored the inside of Eric's mouth, she pulled apart the buttons that were keeping her away from her lover's chest. She finally tore the shirt off and ran her hands down Eric's bare chest.

They finally made it into Eric and Jackie's bedroom and Eric pulled Donna on top of him, his hands tangled in her hair. Donna continued touching every inch of his firm chest with her hands, finally moving lower. Eric groaned with pleasure as she patted the bulge just underneath his belt. He sat up and together, he and Donna pulled off her shirt. As they continued to exchange fiery kisses Eric reached around behind her and undid the clasp to her bra.

Donna slipped underneath him and the two continued undressing each other. Eric looked at her with unconcealed admiration, seeing her enticing naked body for the first time in five very long years. Donna let out a low moan when she felt Eric slide inside her.

"Eric." she moaned as she bucked her hips slightly, "God, I love you so much."

"I'm so happy you're back." came his breathless reply, "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

After the two were finished making love, they settled back into Jackie and Eric's bed. Eric placed one arm protectively around Donna's shoulder and Donna rested her head on his still naked chest.

"I can't believe you're not mad at me anymore." Donna said as she snuggled deeper into the warm, soft feeling of Eric's chest. It felt so different and yet so very familiar at the same time.

"I'm still mad." Eric countered, "I'm just weak. You've always been my biggest weakness. You know that."

Donna raised her head off Eric's shoulder and looked into his eyes, "Look, Eric. You know how sorry I am. And I need you to forgive me."

Before Eric could reply, the door to Jackie and Eric's bedroom opened and Jackie walked in. She was so stunned to see Donna laying very close to Eric in HER bed. Finally she got over her shock and reacted.

"How could you let that tramp get anywhere near you?" Jackie screeched angrily.

"Jackie, calm the hell down-" Eric started but Jackie cut him off immediately.

"And even worse, you did it, in the bed I have to sleep in. Do you realize that I will have to go out and buy new sheets? And worst of all, it's Donna. She betrayed you."

"Jackie......" Eric's voice trailed off and he seemed at a loss for words.

"Don't talk." she shouted at him angrily, "I just came home to change before I go look after Tory at your parent's house. I can't believe you'd do this to your own wife!"

Eric was almost as angry as Jackie now, "Shut up! Just shut up right now! Don't throw our marriage in my face. Our marriage is a sham and you know it."

Jackie's fist were clenched so tightly they were an alarming shade of purple, "How can you say that?" she demanded.

"We never loved each other." Eric shouted back at her, "We said we did and we built this marriage on a lie. Nothing about it is real. Not even our daughter is a real part of our marriage."

Jackie's face grew ashen, "What are you talking about?" she managed to stutter.

"Don't play games with me, Jackie. Tory isn't even mine. I always knew."

"Th-that's a lie." Jackie said, avoiding her husband's gaze, "She was premature."

"Don't give me that horseshit." he shot back, "Look Jackie, I might not be the smartest guy in the world, but I CAN count to nine! Donna and Hyde left in June. We did it for the first time in August. The baby was born in March the next year."

Donna tried to make a breakaway for the bathroom but Jackie noticed and shot her a disgusted look.

"Here, cover your shame." Jackie glowered at Donna as she tossed her one of Eric's t-shirts, then turned back to Eric, "Eric, the baby is yours. I promise."

"Jackie, you can't keep pretending." Eric told her, "Tory was perfectly healthy when she was born. Two month premature babies aren't. I know, Jackie."

Jackie burst into tears, "Why didn't you say something sooner if you knew?" she said through tears.

Eric shook his head sadly, "I told myself I wasn't going to let my defenses down and get to really caring for your baby once I realized the truth. But Tory is the sweetest, most adorable little girl I've ever known and I really wish I was her father. But I'm not." he finished.

Donna finally spoke, "If you aren't going to tell Hyde about this, I sure as hell am."

"You can't." Jackie beseeched her ex-friend.

Donna backed down slightly, seeing the desperate look in Jackie's eyes, "Fine. I won't tell him as long as you tell him the next time you see him."

Jackie threw Donna a haughty smile before turning on her heel and leaving the room, "I don't intend on seeing him anytime soon anyways." she said as breezily as possible. As she was leaving she called back over her shoulder, "I'll deal with you later, Eric."

Eric cringed and Donna turned back to him, "You're going to divorce her, right?" she asked.

Eric averted his gaze, "I can't. I'm sorry."

"Why not?" Donna cried angrily, "I love you, Eric. And I know you love me too."

"I already told you." Eric shot back, "I'm weak. I don't have the strength to go through with a divorce. Jackie and I were there for each other when you and Hyde felt you couldn't be. How can I give her up after that?"

"Don't you want to be with me, Eric?" Donna inquired, her eyes growing moist from unshed tears of frustration.

"I do." Eric conceded, "But I don't know if you can say the same."

Donna let out a strangled cry, "You already know the answer to that."

"Actually I don't." Eric regarded her gravely, "I think you should leave now."

"Fine!" Donna shouted and stormed out of the room. She had to come back about five seconds later to throw on her jeans and pick up the rest of her clothes. But she did all this without a word to Eric.

As she drove back to the hotel, she dialed the number to Hyde's cell phone. He picked up after the third ring.

"Hyde, it's Donna." she said after he picked up.

"Oh, hey. How did it go with Eric?" he asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." she said curtly, but then forged ahead with the reason she had called him, "Look, you have to get over to Red and Kitty's house right now. Jackie's over there all alone, except for Tory. And there's something she needs to tell you."

"Seriously?" Hyde doubled checked.

"I wouldn't lie to you about something like this." Donna replied, "But you should hurry. I don't know when Red and Kitty will be back."

"Thanks Donna." he said before hanging up.

Donna got into her hotel room and promptly flung herself onto the bed. She reached underneath the bed and pulled out the silk covered pink jewellery box. It was pretty girly, more like something Jackie would own than herself. But her mother had gotten it for her for her sixteenth birthday and she always kept it to remember her mother by. Donna snapped the lid open. She ran her fingers along the blue, velvety surface of it's inside. Finally she picked up the ring Eric had given her so long ago. Clutching the ring tightly in her palm, she fell back against the pillow and began to cry. The situation seemed more hopeless than ever.

  
  


Jackie was sitting stiffly on the couch, still in shock from the events that had just taken place. It was like a dream to her. Donna was back, Eric knew about Tory......... She felt like her world was falling apart. She felt like her life was spinning out of control- it was so familiar to the time Hyde and Donna had run away together. A tear slid down her cheek and she realized she had begun to feel that way once more when she had first seen Hyde and Fez's club. Why did he have to make everything so hard? She loved him so much, why couldn't they have ended up together happily ever after? She didn't know what she had done to deserve this. She was so consumed by these thoughts she almost had a heart attack when she heard his voice.

"Hey, Jacks."

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Thanks for all the reviews of chapter five, you guys are the best. I would have posted this sooner but I had company. But that company came in handy when I started writing the scene with Donna and Eric though, lol. I guess I got a little bit worse than PG or PG-13 (whatever I rated this thing) but I had warned you that there would be some VERY intimate Eric/Donna moments so I hope you didn't mind. The revealed secret was about Tory's real father. Good job, Andi M., who already guessed that was going to happen. I guess I'm just a very predictable writer. But I have an idea for another That 70's Show fanfic idea in my head and I bet that one will be WAY more unpredictable. Some intense Jackie/Hyde moments will be in the next chapter, so please read and review.


	7. Fixing Our Mistakes

Chapter Seven

  
  


Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews of chapter six, I hope you liked the Eric/Donna interaction. AND for all you avid Jackie/Hyde fans, this chapter is for you guys so enjoy. A special thanks to R.B Sandwich and forensic418 for giving me what I think is my first bit of constructive critism on this story. And just so you know, I didn't really expect you to feel sorry for Eric, Donna or Jackie really, because they all made mistakes and now they're all trying to go back and fix those mistakes. Everyone acts like a jerk at some point or another. And as for Kelso being smarter in this story, well it has been five years and there have been some big changes for all the characters. This includes Hyde and how he has learned to be better at talking about his feelings. I really don't think Kelso's stupidity is going to follow him all the way into his adulthood, so I tried to convey that here. Well, now that I've said all that, let's get started with chapter seven.

  
  


Jackie's POV

  
  


"Hey, Jacks." I heard his soft voice and felt the movement of him sitting down on the couch next to me. I brushed the tear away violently and felt my heart thudding in my chest. I couldn't tell if it was from his nearness of the fact he had just scared the hell out of me.

"How did you get in here?" I asked, my voice slightly shaky from tears. I hoped he didn't notice.

"Red and Kitty still haven't learned," Hyde responded, laughter in his words, "They still leave the basement door unlocked."

"Well you could have knocked at the front door like any normal person." I told him, feeling another tear slide down my cheek. As subtlety as I could, I brushed it away as well. I remember Donna's words from earlier that day.

"If you don't tell Hyde about this, I sure as hell am." she had said. God, why had I promised to tell Hyde the truth about Tory the next time I saw him. That evil temptress Donna had probably lured him over here in the first place. I hated her. I really did.

"Hyde, there's something I have to tell you." I was getting so carried away with emotion, two more hot tears rolled down my cheeks. Hyde gently tilted my face so I was looking into his eyes. He eyed me with concern.

"You're crying," he said softly, brushing away the tears with his thumbs, "What's wrong?"

I pulled away from his touch abruptly, "Please don't." I said, "This is really hard for me to say-"

I saw the hopeful expression in his eyes, "Whatever it is, it's okay." I was giving him false hope. Even if I was angry as hell at him, I didn't want to drop a bomb THIS big on him like that after building him up for some good news. Well, maybe he would consider this good news. But somehow I didn't think so.

"It's about..... Tory." I replied, "She isn't Eric's child."

"You mean......?" a look of comprehension floated into his expression. I nodded, knowing he understood what I meant.

I don't know what I was expecting, but I didn't expect him to become so angry with me, "What the hell, Jackie? I had a kid for four fucking years and you never told me?"

Stunned, I snapped back, "Like you cared. You were too busy going off on your little adventure with that evil bitch, Donna."

"I never knew I had a child." Hyde responded, "You know how I feel about parents abandoning their children, especially after my own did it to me. I would never willingly put my own child through what I went through."

I felt a pang of sympathy for him, despite myself, "I know you wouldn't. But I found out I was pregnant three days after you left. I didn't know what to do. I might have done the wrong thing. But it's not like you didn't!"

"You could have called." Hyde accused.

"No I couldn't have," I cried, realizing the conversation was on the verge of becoming irrational, "You didn't want to have anything to do with any of us. I no clue how to track you down, even if I wanted to. But maybe I should have at least tried-"

"No shit." Hyde glared at me and I glared right back.

"I did do the wrong thing," I finished, "I let Tory go four years thinking Eric was her father. She believes something completely untrue. But it isn't my fault that has never had contact with her real father. That's your fault."

Hyde softened visibly when I mentioned the little girl he now knew was his daughter, "Can I go see her?" he asked.

"You have to be quiet." I told him, softening a little myself. We crept down the hall and went into the little guest bedroom Tory was sleeping in. It had been Laurie's bedroom when she still lived at home. After a few seconds I turned to see Hyde smiling softly at the little girl sound asleep in the bed. Her blond curls were a tangled mess. She was sucking on one of her thumbs and the other arm was looped around a pink, stuffed unicorn. I had to admit it, it had been one of my favorites.

When he saw me looking at him, he shook his head, "I can't believe I missed the first four years of her life because of you." he said, his voice hard once again.

I felt my emotions flying out of control, "Don't say that." I whispered, "You left me. You left her." I felt like crying but I refused to give him the satisfaction of doing so.

"I didn't know about her." he said fiercely, "I never would have left if I had known."

I looked at him searchingly and he backed down, "All right. The truth is, it might have driven me away even more at the time. But not anymore."

"Let's go back into the living room." I whispered, not wanting to get into a screaming match with him and end up waking Tory.

Once we got there, Hyde stared at me sadly, "I screwed up." he said finally, "But, you screwed up too. Donna screwed up and I'm sure Eric made his share of mistakes along the way too. I just hope we all haven't fucked up so bad that none of us will ever be happy again."

I felt a sob catch in my throat and I buried my face in my hands, "I really did screw up, didn't I. Someday Tory is going to hate me because I let her live a lie for so long. And Eric never loved me and I went home and he was screwing Donna. I just don't believe that anyone cares about me anymore."

I was surprised when I felt Hyde's strong arms wrap around, "I care." he replied in a gruff voice, "I always have. Even when I didn't know how to show it."

"Oh, yes, well, you really showed me by running off with Donna." I said sarcastically.

"Shut up, Jackie." he said simply. I opened my mouth to make another biting remark. But before I could speak, Hyde's lips were pressed against mine. Once I felt the shock of his lips against mine, I couldn't contain myself anymore. I kissed him back heatedly, responding enthusiastically when his hands travelled down by back and ended up on my butt. Finally he pulled me onto couch and my legs were wrapped around his waist. I dug my fingernails into his back when he began making a trail of wet, sloppy kisses on my neck. We tore off each other's clothes and made love again for the first time in so long. I didn't care about Eric or Donna or anyone else at that moment. Red and Kitty could have walked in on us at that moment (I knew they wouldn't because they said they would be back around midnight and it was only ten, but still) and I wouldn't have cared. Eric cheated on me with Donna and Hyde had kissed me first, not the other way around. After everything that happened that night, I decided I deserved to be blissfully happy for a while, blocking out all the complications of life. Because that was what always happened when I was with Hyde. Everything seemed okay, even he was one of the major problems to begin with.

We were breathing hard once we finished and I shivered with delight when he kissed my bare shoulder.

"I love you, Jackie." he told me and I sighed happily.

"And I love you." I responded finally, knowing that I couldn't fool anyone anymore. It had always been Steven Hyde and no one else. Ever since the first time I had kissed him.

  
  


"We've made good progress tonight." Fez remarked, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "Eric and Donna have slept together. And Jackie and Hyde have also slept together. Half the battle is one."

"This is going to get Eric and Jacks pretty pissed at each other." Kelso added.

"That's just what we want," Fez had seemed to take charge of the planning, "We need them to alienate each other so that Eric will go running to Donna for comfort and Jackie will go running to Hyde."

"So what's next?" Hyde asked Fez, knowing from his tone of voice that he had a plan.

Fez smiled slyly, looking from Kelso, to Hyde, to Donna, "I'm going to tell you what you have to do. We'll put this all into effect tomorrow night." after saying that, Fez began filling the group in on his brilliant plan.


	8. Are You Trying To Seduce Me?

Chapter Eight

  
  


"Everything is all set, right?" Kelso asked nervously, checking his watch.

Fez nodded and pulled on a jacket, "Yes. Now, Kelso, Hyde and I will go to the club. Donna, you know what to do?"

"I do." Donna assured him, shaking her head, "I always knew you were a lot of things, Fez. But I never believed genius was one of them."

"What can I say?" Fez shrugged indifferently, "There is a lot of things you don't know about me."

"We should go." Hyde prompted his two friends, "I don't want to be late."

The three guys left Donna alone in the apartment and she went into the bathroom. She made sure the alarm clock was plugged in and set. She then dropped her bathrobe to the floor and stepped into the shower. She let the hot water cascade down and hit her body. She had just finished rinsing the conditioner out of her hair when the alarm rang. Quickly she got out of the shower, shut off the alarm clock and wrapped a fluffy yellow hotel towel around her body. And just in time to hear a knock on her door.

Smiling to herself, she went over to the door and opened it. The sight of Eric standing in the doorway wasn't a shock to her at all, but she pretended to be as stunned as possible.

"Eric, what are you doing here?" she asked him curiously after she had ushered him inside. She didn't miss the way he looked longingly at her barely covered body and she knew the plan was working. But it was time to put the next part into effect.

"Fez said to come over here at seven." Eric responded, "But I didn't know...." his voice trailed off. Donna had reached up to pile her hair on top of her head and her towel had fallen teasingly to the floor. She was now wearing nothing and she made no move to pick up the towel. She just looked up at Eric, her eyes feigning innocence.

Finally he spoke, "Donna, you might think I'm an idiot for asking this, but are you trying to seduce me?"

"Of course not," she cooed, still not picking up the towel, "I thought you knew me better than that."

"Because if you are, then it's working." Eric continued, unable to pull his eyes away from Donna's still unclad body. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it before, but damn, why was it that, the more clothes she took off, the sexier she looked? He made a move to reach over and pull her into his arms. Figuring she would melt into his embrace like she had the night before, he was surprised when she scooted out of his reach.

"Donna.....?" he gazed at her questioningly.

Donna allowed her eyes to hold his gaze for about a minute longer before pulling the towel back over her body, "Eric I can't." she said self-righteously, "I love you, but I can't let you cheat on your wife with me if you have no intention of divorcing her."

"I don't know what you're talking about." he replied.

"Don't give me that." she said, "You told me you were too weak to do it. You can't even be strong for me. I haven't always been there for you, I know that. But I want that to change. And in order for it change, I need you to give me a chance." she felt tears spring into her eyes and she knew she wasn't just going by the plan Fez had set out. She was speaking from her heart.

"I'm sorry, Donna." he said, touching her hand lightly, "I'm sorry it all had to turn out like this. But it has, and I don't know if it will ever be all right again. Maybe this is the way it has to be. Me with Jackie and you and Hyde alone. That's what you wanted at one point and maybe that's how it's always going to be."

Donna refused to let herself get caught up in the emotions. The clock read 7:10, which meant there were fifteen minutes to go before they had to leave. She couldn't allow the plan to fail because of her, "Look, we can talk about this later. Right now, I need to go get dressed and I then we can head over to Fez's club. After you find out what he needed, we can get a drink or something."

"Okay." Eric said agreeably, making himself comfortable on the bed as he waited for Donna to get ready.

  
  


Hyde saw Kelso wink at him as he placed a record into the machine. This was it. Fez, Kelso, Hyde and Donna would find out if their plan had worked the way it was supposed to.

The familiar strains of a song Fez had played for him the night before filled his ears and he knew it was his cue. He took hold of Jackie's hand.

"Let's dance." he told her and she smiled softly at him. After the night before she didn't seem as angry, maybe more open to him. But then again, it was high time all of them realized that they had done a lot of shitty things and needed to move on.

Jackie wrapped her arms around Hyde's neck and rested his head dreamily on his shoulder. Hyde listened to the beautiful words of the music. It was like the song had been made for Jackie and himself.

  
  


I'm looking for a way to feel you hold me 

To feel your heart beat just one more time 

I'm reaching back, trying to touch the moment 

Each precious minute that you were mine 

How do you prepare, when you love someone this way,

To let them go a little more each day?

  
  


Hyde tightened his grasp around Jackie's waist slightly and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "This is one of my favourite songs."

Jackie listened to the soft, romantic strains of the music and looked up at him in surprise, "But it isn't even your type of song. You're more of a Led Zepplin kind of guy."

"I am, aren't I?" Hyde could smell the sweet smell of her shampoo and he inhaled deeply, "But listen. This song is made for us."

  


The stars we put in place 

The dreams we didn't waste 

The sorrows we embraced 

The world belonged to you and me

The oceans that we crossed 

The innocence we've lost 

The hurting at the end 

I'd go there again, 

´cause it was beautiful.

It was beautiful.

  
  


Jackie stifled a gasp, "You're right." she agreed, "It's perfect."

"Just like you." Hyde whispered in her ear.

  
  


Some days missing you is overwhelming

When it hits me you're not coming back 

And in my darkest hours, I have wondered 

Was it worth it for the time we had? 

My thoughts get kinda scattered, but one thing I know is true

I bless the day that I found you, oh oh

  
  


Jackie felt tears well up in her eyes when she heard that verse and she couldn't stop the small tear that dripped down her cheek when she felt Hyde nuzzle her neck.

"Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me, Jackie." he said earnestly, "I don't have any regrets when I wonder whether or not I should have been with you. Because what we had was so right, it made all the hurt that came with it worth it."

  
  


The stars we put in place

The dreams we didn't waste 

The sorrows we embraced 

The world belonged to you and me 

The oceans that we crossed 

The innocence we've lost 

The hurting at the end 

I'd go there again, 

´cause it was beautiful.

It was beautiful.

  
  


"Steven....." was all Jackie could say. She wasn't used to him opening up to her like this, but she liked it. And every word he was saying rung so true in her own mind it was overwhelming.

"Love like ours doesn't die." he stated in a firm voice, "Our love is everlasting. I don't want to have to live the rest of my life without you. Please forgive me for hurting you. We belong together."

  
  


Oh, The rules we stepped aside

The fear that we defied 

Oh, The thrill of the ride 

The fire in our hearts that burned

The oceans that we crossed 

The innocence we've lost 

The hurting at the end 

I'd go there again, 

´cause it was beautiful.

So beautiful. 

It was beautiful.

  
  


The song ended on a final, longing note and Hyde knew Jackie was on the verge of letting everything go. He could feel it.

"So, what do you say, Jacks?" he asked her, "Will you go there with me again?"

She opened her mouth to reply but she heard a voice from behind her that made her blood run cold.

  
  


Author's Note: The song I used was Beautiful by Amy Grant. I know she started singing in the early eighties, but this song might be a little later than the period of time the characters of that 70's Show are in. I just had to use it though, because it was on my other favourite show and I think it fit in quite well. Oh, and I know the Hyde in my story is sort of different from the Hyde in the show. But after doing what he did to Jackie, I think he should have to tell her his true feelings and act all mushy to win her back. The same goes for Donna. I know you guys are looking forward to seeing Hyde meet Tory and I promise, I will get on that in the about chapter ten or eleven. So, keep the reviews coming, I really appreciate them.


	9. Watch The Fireworks

Chapter Nine

  
  


Author's Note: I'm sure you have all noticed that, like EricandDonnaForever said, Donna is acting slightly out of character. As a matter of fact, so is Hyde. I just wanted to let you know that I am very aware of that and I wanted to be like that. There is a reason for this, one that you will discover later in the story.

  
  


Fez's POV

  
  


I watched the events leading up to the confrontation and it was almost hard to believe everything had went so well. Back at the hotel, Donna had seduced Eric, then told him she wouldn't do anything with him unless he divorced Jackie. She had managed to time all this so that they got to the club just in time Jackie and Hyde dancing. Hyde had called Jackie and asked her to meet him at my club at seven and to tell Eric that she had to go do some work for Laurie as a cover up. I had gotten Kelso to turn the song on at exactly seven-thirty, since the club was only a three minute drive from the hotel. And now it had all worked out perfectly. Jackie and Eric would get into a big fight and before you knew it, they would be divorced. But for the time being, there was nothing I wanted to do more than sit back and watch the fireworks.

  
  


"Funny, I could have sworn you told me you had work to do." Eric's emotionless voice came from behind Jackie, "I never would have thought you considered doing Hyde a chore. Especially since now I realize why you came back from my parent's house with such an improved frame of mind. Didn't even start bitching at me, just crashed on the couch."

Jackie turned around to face her husband and did a double take when she saw Donna standing next to him, her hand clasped tightly in his, "Look who's talking. You said you were staying home to do your taxes."

"So what?" Eric shot back. He had never been too smooth with comebacks, "You... whore!"

"You screwed Donna before I even touched Hyde, so don't you even try that." Jackie yelled. Both she and Eric were oblivious to the large group of people that had clustered around them. This group included Laurie, Fez and Kelso.

"You're pathetic you know that?" Eric growled, "You sat around for the longest time, waiting for Hyde to come back. You never realized that he didn't want to marry you. And neither did Kelso. I took you off their hands."

Jackie felt rage boil inside her and she slapped him hard across the face, "Well, obviously Donna didn't want to marry you either. She chose a one-way ticket out of Point Place over you. And you even brought her an engagement ring."

"Kelso cheated on you two many times to count," Eric retorted, "Even Hyde cheated on you. So don't tell me I'm the one that can't hold one to the ones I care about."

That was it. Jackie lost control and before she realized what she was saying, she smirked at him and said shouted, "You stupid bastard. I am taking Tory, and I am leaving you! It's not like she's yours anyway."

Eric lurched backward, a stricken look on his face. He turned to the dismayed looks of the people that knew him and felt an incredible sense of loss. If Jackie was serious about taking Tory away from him, he would lose one of the best things in his life. And he didn't know how he would be able to take that.

Hyde stepped out of the crowd, shocked that Jackie would publicly announce such a thing and humiliate her husband in front of so many people. It wasn't like her. She had changed. He had changed, Eric had changed and Donna had changed. Nothing was forever, nothing stayed the same, not since he and Donna left Point Place. They had thrown life off balance, shaken things up and some changes were permanent.

Hyde watched as Eric ran out of the club with Donna tearing after him. Jackie seemed frozen in place, not even noticing the glares and disgusted looks several people were throwing her. Hyde led her out of the club and helped her into his car. She spent the first part of the trip staring blankly into space. Then she started sobbing.

"I cannot believe I just did that." she bawled, "I can't believe I just told the whole world that I'm a whore. And poor Eric. God, what is wrong with me. I never act like that. Never."

As if remembering Hyde was in the car, she turned to look at him accusingly, "You. You made me do this. I haven't been thinking clearly ever since you got back. Why do you have to screw up my life like this?"

"That wasn't what I came back to do." Hyde protested, but he didn't get any further.

"I don't want to hear it." Jackie waved his words away with her hand, "Please, Steven, just take me home."

Not knowing what else to do, Hyde drove her back to her home. She got out of the car and left him without saying good-bye. He sighed and wondered if she was really worth it. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself that she wasn't, the vast majority of him was still saying, hell yeah. So there was nothing to do but keep trying to make her believe that he wanted her back for keeps.

  
  


Eric crumpled onto the cold cement in the deserted lot behind the alley, sucking back tears. He remembered the first day he had held Tory in his arms. Her baby blue, luminous eyes were staring back at him and he fell in love with her right then and there. He remembered the first time she had said 'dadda' and the first time she managed to walk all the way across the room to him without falling onto the floor. No matter how much he missed Donna, no matter how much he was regretting the way his life turned out, Tory was always there, a ray of sunshine he could always count on. This was wrong. It was unfair.

"Eric, I'm sorry about what happened back there." Donna said softly, kneeling down beside him. She put his arm around him and remained silent as his tears fell.

"I just want so badly for her to be mine." Eric blurted out, "It tears me up that I'm not Tory's biological father. And now Hyde's back and he's going to take Jackie and Tory away from me."

"I wish this didn't have to hurt everyone so much." Donna murmured.

Eric looked up at Donna and managed a weak smile, "Remember all the dreams we had? We were going to get a big house and have a dozen kids. I can still picture how it would have turned out. Little red-headed girls and brown-haired boys. We would have made the cutest kids." he stopped when he saw that Donna was now crying.

"Donna, what's wrong?" he asked with concern, his own troubles temporarily forgotten.

"I just wish I would have done so many things different." she sobbed, falling into his arms. He stroked her hair.

"It's more than isn't it?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer was yes, "There's something more to all this. A missing piece. What is it, Donna? What have you been hiding all along?"

"I haven't been hiding anything." she sniffled, "Why would you think that?"

"We're soul mates, Donna, I can tell. You are hiding something, whether or not you're willing to admit it." Eric replied.

"Maybe I am," Donna said in a near whisper, "But I can't tell you what it is."

Eric felt like she had just slapped him, "What do you mean you can't tell me? It can't be that bad."

Donna burst into a fresh batch of tears, "If only you know." she wept bitterly.

"You wanted me to forgive you." Eric said, his voice hoarse, "You wanted us to all move on from what happened five years ago. But how can you expect me to do that when you don't trust me enough to open up and tell me the truth about your past."

"Maybe I shouldn't have come back." she said, having second thoughts about her return for the first time since she arrived, "Maybe this was all just a big mistake."

"Of course it was." Eric stood up, "I'm going to go find Jackie and apologize. I should have never tried to be with you again. What a stupid thing to do."

He walked away, leaving Donna on the ground to cry alone. She wanted to tell him the truth about what happened, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. It had changed everything she had known- herself, Hyde, Jackie, Eric...... and there was no way she could ever undo it.

  
  


Author's Note: Don't worry, you will find out Donna's secret very soon, as long as you keep your wonderful reviews coming. And Hyde will FINALLY meet his daughter in chapter ten, so I'll update as soon as I can.


	10. Uncle Steven, Melanie and Leandra

Chapter Ten

  
  


Eric's POV:

  
  


I came home to find Jackie sprawled out on the couch, a heavy-hearted look on her face. I sat down beside her in an armchair and looked into her sad eyes.

Finally I spoke, "I can't believe the way I've been acting. And I don't know what to say."

"I know," Jackie sighed, "I feel so different, like everything that's happened has made me a worse person or something."

"You're not a worse person. If anyone is really at fault here, it's me. I acted like a-"

"Don't say it," Jackie interrupted, "You let Donna get the best of you. The same thing happened with me and Hyde. I just don't want to let them get to us anymore."

"We have to stay together," I said, with determination. Before my little conversation with Donna in the back lot, I hadn't been so sure. But now I knew that it was the right thing. I wanted to keep Tory in my life and I didn't want to hurt Jackie any more than I already had. She had been hurt already by all the other men in her life and I wanted to be different from the rest. Even if I couldn't bring myself to love her, she was my friend.

"I'm sorry about what I said about Tory," Jackie told me softly, "I was wrong, it was a stupid thing to say. You've always been such a good father to Tory and I would never want to take her away from you."

"That means a lot to me." I replied, "But what are we going to do about Hyde and Donna?"

Jackie's jaw clenched, "Once they get the idea that we want to be left alone, I'm sure they won't be a problem anymore."

"I hope so." I agreed, although I really wasn't sure one way or another. Donna was keeping something from me and I had to know what it was if she really wanted me to give her another chance. She had changed so much, I had no clue what she could possibly be hiding. And I was sick of dealing with the unknown where the woman I loved was concerned. Maybe this would be easier, just getting some closure and forgetting about her. Not better, but easier.

  
  


Hyde's POV

  
  


It was a week after the episode at the club with Eric and Jackie. After such a big turn of events, Donna and I had decided to lay low for a while. But I had finally got up the nerve to go over to Red and Kitty's house and officially meet Tory. I had been dreading and looking forward to this moment at the same time. I wandered what my daughter would be like and how should react to meeting me. I didn't know what I was going to say or what I was going to do. I just had to pray I didn't screw it up.

I saw Tory outside, riding around on a little red tricycle. I was glad she was outside, because I hated facing Red after that first time since we had returned to Point Place. He had always been grouchy, but now he really...... hated me. And Donna too. Kitty was sweet as always, but dealing with Red really wasn't pleasant. I approached Tory when she leaned down to pick up one of her stuffed animals that had fallen out of the basket on the front of her tricycle.

"Hi, Tory." I said finally, not knowing what else to say. She looked up at me and her eyes widened in fear.

"My mommy and daddy said I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." she said timidly, clutching the little stuffed koala bear so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

"Oh, I'm not a stranger." I quickly assured her, "I know your mommy and daddy. And your grandparents too."

"You know Grammy and Papa?" she asked and I smiled at the cute names she used for Red and Kitty. I nodded and she grinned happily at me, "My name's Tory. What's your name?"

"I'm your........ Uncle Steven." I finished quickly. She was already four years old and I didn't know how I could ever break the news that I was her real father to her.

"I have two other uncles." she told me, "Uncle Michael and Uncle Fez. And Auntie Laurie."

"That's nice." I responded, then remembered the present I had for her, "Oh, I brought you a present."

I handed her the medium sized box wrapped in pink wrapping paper. She took in and pulled off the wrapping paper and opened the box that had been covered by the paper. The box revealed a doll that resembled Tory, with it's chocolate brown eyes and head of blonde curls. It was wearing a little pink party dress. Hyde had seen it at the toy store and thought that it looked like something Tory would like.

Obviously he had made a good choice. Tory's face lit up when she saw it, "Oh, Uncle Steven, I love it. Thank you." she gave him a hug and Hyde laughed.

"I'm glad you like it." he said once he had finished hugging his daughter for the first time, "I picked it because it was so cute, just like you."

She beamed at him and gingerly placed the doll in the basket on her tricycle, between the koala bear and a fuzzy stuffed monkey with a pink bow on the top of it's head. She was clearly a huge fan of stuffed animals and dolls.

"I take really good care of her." she promised him, but suddenly she looked past him and she let out a delighted squeal, "Mommy!"

Tory hurried past Hyde and flung herself into Jackie's outstretched arms. Jackie lovingly gave Tory a kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, Tory." she said, "Are you having fun with Grammy and Papa?" she eyed Hyde suspiciously.

"Yes, Grammy said she's going to make brownies for dessert tonight and Papa bought me candy from the store. And Uncle Steven got me a really pretty doll and I'm going to call her Melanie."

"That was nice of Uncle Steven." Jackie turned to Hyde, her eyebrows raised, but she said nothing else. She didn't want to make a scene in front of her daughter.

"Listen, Tory, why don't you go in and tell Grammy I'm here, and then I'll come inside in a minute and we'll play a game." Jackie suggested and Tory nodded eagerly.

"Bye, Uncle Steven." she called, waving at him. Hyde grinned at her and waved back.

Once she was gone, Jackie turned to Hyde, her eyes flashing, "How long have you been coming to see her behind my back?"

"Just today, I swear." Hyde told her, "And besides, I have every right to see my daughter."

"Why can't you just leave Eric and I alone?" Jackie asked, "We are trying to raise Tory in a peaceful environment. We do not need any distractions."

Hyde was very offended now, "So, her father is now classified as a distraction?"

"You're only her father biologically." Jackie shot back, "Eric has been her father in every other way."

"And whose fault is that?" Hyde retaliated.

"That doesn't matter anymore," Jackie said, exasperated, "If you even bother trying to go to the courts about this, I will win. I have a steady job and a husband who can support me. You have nothing."

"I'm not going to go to anyone about this," Hyde sighed sadly, "I just want to spend time with my little girl. Is that too much to ask?"

Jackie looked at him guiltily, "I'm sorry. I just don't want anything to destroy my marriage to Eric. Feel free to see her whenever you want."

Jackie pushed past him without another word, "Thank you." Hyde yelled after her, before walking back to his truck.

  
  


Fez, Donna and Hyde were all in Donna's hotel room. Kelso wasn't there yet and his three friends were beginning to get restless. He was supposed to be there with them to start conspiring to break up Eric and Jackie's marriage again. Just when they were about to start without him, he and a girl burst through the door. The girl looked familiar, with strawberry blonde hair and eyes so blue they were almost purple. Kelso had his arm around the girl's shoulder and Fez, Donna and Hyde looked at Kelso curiously.

"Do you guys remember Leandra?" he asked excitedly.

"I think I saw her around school sometimes." Hyde commented and Donna and Fez nodded in agreement.

"We were dating in secret during one of Kelso and Jackie's break up periods." Leandra spoke up, "We didn't tell anyone, because we didn't think it would be a very popular match."

"Why not?" Donna asked.

"Come on, Donna, one of the most sought after guys in the school dating the straight A student who also happened to be captain of the debating team." Kelso shook his head, "But it was so much fun. I could really talk to Leandra, she never made me feel stupid."

"Kelso and I just clicked from the first time we went out." Leandra contributed, "I saw him at the club and I went over to say hi. Now he's taking me out to dinner tonight."

"That's wonderful." Donna said, genuinely happy for Kelso. He really seemed to care about Leandra. Maybe, like Jackie, she was one of the few girls his relationship had been pure and wonderful with, not cheap and dirty like it was with most girls.

"Yes it is," Fez added, remembering how Kelso had said earlier he wanted to find a nice girl, "It's good to know that some people can have what they really want."

Realizing what he just said, he turned to see the wounded looks on Hyde and Donna's faces, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Don't worry about it Fez." Donna cut him off, "I have to go do something. I'll see you guys later."

  
  


Donna's POV

  
  


Eric finally answered the door and his eyes flashed pure ice, "What are you doing here? Didn't I make myself clear before?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, "Can I come in?"

Eric opened the door wider and let me come inside. I was surprised he had done that much. We went into the living room, sitting in arm chairs

opposite each other.

"Did you need something?" Eric asked bluntly.

"Yes," trying to keep my voice even, "Eric, I'm here because I want to tell you the truth about what happened five years ago."

"Really?" he softened a little when I said that.

"Really," I clarified and took another deep breath, preparing to tell him everything.

  
  


Author's Note: There, I left you all hanging. I'm so evil. If you want to know what Donna's secret is, then give me lots of reviews. The more reviews I get, the faster I will update. And I don't think any of you have guessed yet what that secret is, so hopefully it will be a big shock when you finally find out. The next chapter will be a flashback from five years ago in Donna's POV, just to let you know.


	11. Donna's Story

Chapter Eleven

  
  


Author's Note: Okay guys, I updated this as fast as I could, because I know you are all dying to find out Donna's secret. I hope you'll all review this chapter and tell me what you think of the thing Donna has been hiding and how it sort of makes everything fall into place. And not because I'm addicted to attention as Kee said, but because I want to know how I can improve the story for you guys. You want a big blow up between Eric, Jackie, Donna and Hyde, so you're going to get one. But this chapter is dedicated to revealing Donna's secret. Donna is telling this story to Eric as she is remembering what happened five years ago.

  
  


Donna's POV

  
  


I was walking home from a baby-sitting job that night. Even though it was summer and the air was warm, I was in a hurry to get home and prepare for my date with Eric. We were going to go over the plans for our wedding more, something we never grew tired of. I admired the diamond ring on my finger and marveled at the fact I was marrying the person I had always been crazy about.

My home was still quite a walk away and I wished I had taken a car over to the house I was baby-sitting at. A car pulled up beside me and I recognized the driver as one of Kelso's friends from school. His name was Rick, although I had no idea what his last name was. He had rolled down the window to his car and smiled warmly at me.

"Hey, Donna." he said pleasantly, "How's it going?"

"Great!" I told him, "I'm just on my way home and then Eric's taking me out of dinner."

"Do you want a ride back home?" he asked.

My first instinct was to say no. I really didn't know him that well, and I had seen the way some of Kelso's friends acted and I didn't like them very much. Kelso was a sweetheart, but most of his friends were complete perverts.

"It's okay," I said back politely, "I'm getting lots of exercise."

"You don't need it." he looked me up and down appraisingly. I shivered a little, but I knew it wasn't from the cold. I hated it when guys looked at me like that. The only one I tolerated it from was Eric.

"I'm fine." I replied somewhat snappishly and quickened my pace. He continued driving next to me, slowly.

"Come on, Donna, it's fun in here." he grinned at me and gaze me a little puppy-dog look. I had to laugh despite myself. Even if I didn't care very much for Rick's personality, or at least what I had seen of it, he was very attractive, with his intense blue eyes and perfectly unkempt (a combination only he seemed to be able to pull off) dirty blond hair.

"All right." I finally consented and hopped inside. I was relieved I wouldn't have to walk the rest of the way. He turned up the music a little bit and I settled into the seat. I figured I wouldn't have to give him directions, since he had been to Forman's house once or twice before with Kelso. That was why I was so surprised when he drove right past the road Eric and I lived on.

"You missed my road." I told him and I felt a surge of horror when he just leered at me and continued driving. He turned the volume to the music up a notch higher. Infuriated, I turned it down.

"You missed my road." I said again.

"I'll get you home, Donna." he told me, turning up the music so he had to yell to be heard, "It just might be a little later than you want it to be."

He drove his car into a deserted alley and pushed himself on top of me. I tried to push him off me, but I was no match for his football player strength. He kissed me aggressively on the lips.

"Stop it." I tried to scream, but my voice felt weak and constricted from fear.

"You wanted this." he said fiercely, and I could see from his eyes that he was a seriously troubled person, "You never would have gotten into this car with me if you didn't."

After that, it was like an out of body experience. It felt like I was watching him as he ripped off my clothing and raped me. I could almost see myself, tears running down my cheeks, unable to scream, begging him as loudly as possible to stop. But he didn't stop. Finally he finished, zipped up his pants and smiled at me. He actually smiled. Like it hadn't been rape, like it had been consensual. He drove me home after that and as soon as I got home I called Eric.

He answered the phone after it rang a few times, "Hello?"

I tried to keep the shakiness out of my voice when I spoke, "Hey, Eric, it's Donna. I'm just calling to tell you that I can't make it to dinner tonight."

He sounded very disappointed, "What happened?"

"Something just came up." I lied, "And I really have to get off the phone now." I hung up and flung myself onto the bed. I cried myself to sleep, wanting to forget this night had ever happened.

  
  


It was a week later and I had been doing my best to avoid my friends. I didn't want to face them and I really didn't want to face my family or anyone else for that matter. I was already late for my period, and it scared the shit out of me. I could be pregnant. Or worse, who knew what kind of diseases I could get from a slime like Rick.

I made a doctor's appointment which I had to go to the next day. I was so scared and I really didn't want to go alone. I didn't know which of my friends to go with though. I didn't want Eric to find out and definitely not Kelso, since Rick was his friend. Fez was too naive about these kinds of things to bring him into it and for some reason I didn't want Jackie to know either. Maybe because Hyde hadn't proposed to her yet and I didn't want her to think my love life was anything less than perfect. I sometimes felt like I was forever competing with Jackie over certain things. That only left one person.

I called Hyde up and asked him to come over. He agreed and soon we were up in my bedroom. For the first time in around a week, I changed out of my pajamas and into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.

"So, what's up?" he asked, looking at me in concern. I was aware of the dark circles under my eyes and my disheveled appearance.

"Something happened." I began, not knowing how to spit out the words I had to say.

"We all figured as much," Hyde said, referring to himself and the rest of my close friends, "You've kind of been avoiding us the past week."

"Do you remember Kelso's friend, Rick?" I asked him and he nodded, "He offered to give me a ride home Saturday and then he raped me."

Hyde stared at me in disbelief for a moment before replying, "You have got to tell Forman." he said finally.

I shook my head and felt tears spilling out of my eyes, "I can't. And I need you to come with me to the doctor's tomorrow. My period is late and it's almost never late."

Hyde scratched his head and seemed at a loss of words. Then he spoke, "I'm sorry this happened to you, Donna. And, of course I'll go with you."

"And you won't tell Eric?" I asked.

"I won't tell Forman." he told me and at that moment I was very glad he was my friend.

  
  


The next day I was waiting for the results in the waiting room of the doctor's office. The doctor came out, carrying a folder filled with papers.

"Well, you certainly aren't pregnant and we can't find any traces of an STD." I sighed with relief and began to speak, but she held up her hand for silence.

"But something got messed up." I had told her the whole story and she knew what happened, "We don't know exactly how it happened, though."

"What do you mean, something go messed up?" Hyde asked in confusion, "What could possibly be wrong?"

The doctor eyed me sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Ms. Pinciotti, but you're never going to be able to have children."

  
  


Eric's POV

  
  


My mouth dropped open in shock at the last bit of Donna's story and I saw tears had started to fall from her eyes.

"I know, it's insane isn't it?" she said through tears, "I didn't want to believe it, but it's true. I can never make those red-headed girls and brown-haired boys you've always wanted."

"Is that why you left?" I asked as everything began to fall into place.

She nodded, "Hyde went with me. He was scared of being with Jackie, because he didn't want to end up the way his dad had. He told me."

"Why did you leave me? I could have helped you through that." I told her.

"No," she wailed, "I knew I couldn't be the wife you wanted me to be. You wanted babies so badly and I thought if you knew the truth, you wouldn't love me anymore."

"That's crazy." I said, "I know now. And I still love you, Donna."

"I felt like a filthy whore after that happened," she admitted, "My instinct was that I shouldn't have gone with him. But I did anyway."

"It wasn't your fault." I told her, reaching out to hold her hand, "You can't blame yourself."

"I spent so much time with Hyde and eventually I became more Zen and he become more softhearted. We rubbed off on each other and we're both somewhere in the middle now. But I shouldn't have taken Jackie's boyfriend away from her. I did it with Kelso when I took him with me to California and I took Hyde away too. And now I'm trying to take her husband away. Some friend I am." she stood up and look ready to make a break for the door.

"Donna, don't leave." I begged her but he didn't seem to hear me. She ran blindly for the door and took off in her car before I had time to recover and go after her.


	12. Treasure The Moments

Chapter Twelve

  
  


Eric's POV

  
  


I drove after Donna, driving completely on instinct. And my instincts told me that Donna wouldn't go back to the hotel. I drove up to the Water Tower and I found Donna's car parked up there. I sighed with relief and got out of my own car. I walked over to Donna's car and I saw her crumped in a little ball in the driver's seat. I felt sympathy and love slice through me and I placed my hand on the doorknob. Luckily it wasn't locked. I crawled inside the car and Donna looked up at me.

"Eric, why did you follow me?" she asked in a teary voice. I could see all the pain and hurt from five years pouring out of her eyes and I felt my own eyes blurring. My throat was so choked up with emotion that I couldn't speak. I pulled her into my arms and held her. I stroked her hair soothingly. I hoped she didn't notice my own tears that now streamed freely down my cheeks This was the woman I should be married to. I didn't care if she couldn't make children. She was more important than anything else and I didn't know how to show her that. Especially now that I promised Jackie I wouldn't chase after Donna anymore. It was a promise I intended to keep.

  
  


Hyde's POV

  
  


I felt two hands shaking me awake the next morning and I stretched and let out a groan. I looked up and saw Fez and Kelso standing over me.

"It's time to get up. We have to get back on track with our plan." Fez urged me and I sat up.

"Where's Donna?" I asked sleepily.

"Donna isn't back yet." Kelso said, "But we don't need her to get the next part of the plan ready."

"What is it?" I inquired.

"I thought it up while I was making out with Leandra." Kelso said proudly, "What you need to do is spend time with Jackie and Tory alone. Jackie will see how well you and Tory get along and she'll see that Tory needs to grow up with her real parents together."

I shook my head and stared at Kelso in amazement, "Damn Kelso, what happened? Did you get a brain transplant or something?"

"There really aren't many explanations for his sudden increase in intelligence." Fez teased.

Kelso looked offended, "Come on, I wasn't that dumb before." Fez and I just looked at him and he backed down, "Okay, so I wasn't the brightest light in the world. But I grew up. I've probably always been smarter than I look."

"And thank god for that." I mumbled and Kelso smacked me on the shoulder.

"So, you want me to call Jackie up and arrange a date for her, Tory and I?" I double-checked.

"Exactly." Fez confirmed, pushing the phone into my hand. I smiled a little as I dialed the numbers. I loved spending time with Tory and Jackie. Besides, I could actually see this having a very positive effect.

"Hey, Jackie, it's Hyde." I said once I heard her pick up the phone. It was quite early in the morning, but I was pretty sure she would already be up.

"Oh it's you." she sounded like a little bit anxious, like she had been expecting someone else to call, "What is it, Steven?" she said immediately after and I winced when I heard the formal tone in her voice. It was like I was her boss or something and I hated it.

"I was wondering if you wanted to do something today." before she could respond I pushed ahead, "I was thinking that you, Tory and I could spend the day at the park. We could all go over there in about half and hour and then have a picnic." I heard Fez and Kelso covering up snickers at the idea of me going on a picnic with Jackie and my four year old daughter. It wasn't something you would see the old Steven doing, but I was a father now. I didn't care what they thought.

She was silent for a moment, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Jacks." I answered simply, "I think it's only fair that Tory gets some time with both her mother and father after all this time."

"You're right." Jackie agreed, "I'll meet you at the park in around forty-five minutes. I'll pick up Tory and don't worry about the food, I'll take care of everything."

I raised my eyebrows slightly. I hadn't expected this to be so easy. But I was glad it was, "Thanks. I'll see you soon." I hung up and turned to the impish grins of my two friends.

"Little Steven is going to go have a little tea party with Jackie and Tory." Fez said in mocking, high pitched voice. I glowered him and he shut up.

"I figured Tory would like the park." I said defensively, "My aunt came to visit my mom once and she took me there." I remembered it so well, how she had pushed me on the swing and pushed me around the merry-go-round. She felt more like me to a mother than my real mom ever did. But I brushed my thoughts of my aunt away and thought about Donna. I wondered where she was right now.

  
  


Hyde arrived at the park five minutes to ten. He saw Jackie and Tory were already making their way over to the playground in the center of the park. He hurried over to them and placed a hand on Jackie's shoulder. She whirled around to face me and flashed him a tense smile. Tory also saw Hyde by this time and her face lit up into a much more genuine smile.

"Uncle Steven." she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me. He hugged her tightly, finding it hard to believe this affectionate, bubbly child was his, "Mommy told me that we're going to stay at the park and then we're going to have a picnic. I love the park, my daddy took me a few days ago and he let me go on the big slide."

Hyde felt a twinge of sadness when he imagined his daughter flying down the large, steep slide, into Eric's arms at the bottom. She looked especially cute that morning, in pink overalls and a yellow t-shirt. Her unruly curls were pulled back with a pink ribbon and she wore pink sneakers with yellow socks. Jackie was wearing light blue jeans and a pale green sweater and she looked gorgeous as usual.

"That's right." Hyde told the little girl, "You want to go up the big slide again, Tory?"

Her eyes widened with excitement, "Yeah! Can you go with me, Uncle Steven?"

"All right. I'll race you to the slide." he told her and he started off for the slide. He slowed down to a jog and smiled as he watched her pull away, running as fast as her little legs would carry her, shrieking with delight.

Once they had both climbed the ladder to the top of the slide, Tory positioned herself on Hyde's lap and the two of them went down the slide together. Jackie was waiting at the bottom for them.

"That was so much fun, Mommy," Tory's cheeks were flushed with happiness, "Can you go with on the slide now?"

As Jackie took her turn climbing up the slide, Hyde noticed an old man smiling sadly at him from a park bench nearby. He waved in greeting and the man looked up at Jackie and Tory and shook his head.

"Treasure the moments you have with them." he advised Hyde, "My children have already grown up and my wife passed away several months ago. If I could back in time, I would have done so much more with all of them."

Hyde opened his mouth to tell the old man that Jackie was not his wife but then he closed it. If anyone saw Tory, Jackie and Hyde together, there was no way they could deny the fact that Tory was their child. And he was sure the old man did not want to hear the sad story that explained why he was not married to Jackie.

After they got off the slide, Tory raced from the slide, to the monkey bars, to the see-saw, to the swing and finally to the merry-go-round. She was bursting with energy and Hyde would find himself just staring at her in awe. He felt so much regret about missing the first four years of her life. He vowed not to miss another second of her life.

"Here, both of you get on." Hyde instructed Jackie and Tory. Jackie giggled like she was sixteen again as she climbed onto the round object. She had really warmed up to Hyde after the first ten minutes of the outing. Hyde pushed them around the merry-go-round, like his aunt had done with him so long ago. Tory laughed happily, clutching Jackie's hand.

Finally, Jackie and Hyde spread out the picnic blanket and got out the food. Tory dove into her peanut butter and banana sandwich. She proudly told Steven it was her favourite kind of sandwich in the whole world. Jackie had made tuna sandwiches for herself and Hyde. She and Hyde listened as Tory told them a story about Melanie and her stuffed koala bear, whose name turned out to be Michael.

"And then they got married and moved into a big mansion and had little baby koala bears." Tory spooned a little bit of chocolate pudding out of her container. She stared at it for a moment before licking it off the spoon. Suddenly her eyes lit up even more as she looked at something behind Hyde. He turned around to see a young woman walking a little puppy that looked like it was a golden retriever.

"Mommy, can I go pet the puppy?" she asked excitedly.

"Ask the lady first." Jackie said sternly, "And then you can pet the puppy."

The girl raced off and Hyde stared after her.

"This was a good idea, Steven." Jackie told him, squeezing his hand gently in her own. He smiled back at her but said nothing. She didn't let go of his hand and they watched in silence as Tory leaned down to pet the little dog. A few minutes she came back, a gleeful smile on her face.

"The puppy licked my hand." she told them, "It's name was Goldilocks, just like in the story." she took a little breath before continuing. She was a lot like Jackie that way, she could talk in a manner that seemed almost endless, "Can I go collect the leaves now? I love how they turn rainbow colors."

"It's all right with me, if you stay where we can see you." Jackie said and the little girl bounded off once more. Hyde couldn't take his eyes off her as she picked up the brightly coloured leaves and placed some of them in the front pocket of her overalls. He hadn't known her for that long, but he had already fallen in love with his little girl.

  
  


Eric awoke to find sunlight streaming through the windows the car. It took him a moment to remember what had happened the night before. Then he saw Donna asleep in his arms and everything came crashing back down on him. He realized Jackie must be worried and knew he should go home and explain.

He awoke Donna and she sat up. She looked over at him and then down at her watch.

"It's eleven fifty-seven." she told me, "What happened? We didn't do it again did we?"

"No, of course not," Eric assured her, "I guess we both just fell asleep. You were a mess last night. I'll take you back to my house."

Donna seemed to worn out to argue. So Eric started the car and began driving her home. He would pick up my car some other time. Right now, Donna needed him.

  
  


Jackie's POV

  
  


Steven and I dropped Tory off at Kitty and Red's home and started off for my house. I had so much fun with Hyde, I invited to come over for some coffee. It was just an excuse to spend more time with him and we both knew it. But there was no reason we couldn't just be friends. And besides, Eric hadn't come home last night and I was worried. But my intuition told me nothing awful had happened to him and that he was off with Donna somewhere. And if he was, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop myself from flipping out.

Hyde and I went inside and into the living room. I stopped what I was saying when I saw the figure on the couch. I couldn't see the person's face but only one person I knew had hair that red. Donna was slouched on the couch almost lifelessly with Eric sitting beside her. He looked up to see Hyde and I and his concerned expression turned to one of horror and anger.


	13. Burning Hatred

Chapter Thirteen

  
  


Before Eric could say a word, Jackie jumped in, "Eric Forman, what the hell do you think you are doing?"

Eric's eyes flickered nervously, "It isn't what you think-" he began, but he was cut off by Jackie.

"Don't give me that horseshit." Jackie screamed, "You promised that together we would save our marriage. Did that promise mean nothing to you?"

Eric's eyes darkened, "I didn't do anything wrong. Please, just stop this Jackie. Donna's had a really rough night and-"

Jackie didn't seem to want to give Eric the chance to finish what he wanted to say, "I'm sure she has. But I'm also very sure that she really enjoyed her 'rough' night. And so did you! God, can you not resist the opportunity to bang that little tramp?"

"I am not a tramp." Donna spoke up, sounding emotionally drained. Jackie heard it in her voice and inwardly gloated. Maybe after they had had sex, Eric told her he wanted her to get the hell out of his life. That would almost make what he had done the night before forgivable. Almost.

"And why is Hyde here?" Eric demanded suddenly, "What have the two of you been doing the last little bit?"

"We took Tory to the park." Jackie exclaimed, "And we had a picnic. It was completely innocent. Unlike whatever you were doing with Donna."

"You let him spend the day with my daughter without even asking me first?" Eric's hard glare turned from Jackie to Hyde.

"She is not your daughter, she's my daughter." Hyde snapped, "Just shut up, Forman."

Eric got off the couch, "Why don't we just go ask Tory who her daddy is? Because I can guarantee that she won't say it's you. She didn't even know you existed for the first four years of her life."

Hyde was now standing nose-to-nose with his ex-best friend, "Tory might think you're her father right now, but it won't be like that forever. Soon, I'm going to tell her the truth. And then you'll have nothing, Forman. Absolutely nothing."

Without thinking it through, Eric punched Hyde in the face. Hyde was flung backwards a little on impact and tripped over a chair. He sat up from the spot he had fallen to on the floor, blood dripping from his nose.

Donna could only watch in horror as Jackie screeched, "Eric! Don't hurt him!"

Hyde stood up and faced Eric. The two began swinging at each other, regardless of the fact both Donna and Jackie were now screaming at them to stop. Hyde landed a punch that hit Eric square in the jaw. Hyde roughly brushed away the small amount of blood that had trickled down his nose. He then clenched his fists and got ready to resume fighting with Eric.

But before Eric could even get to his feet, Donna sprung into action. She stepped in front of Hyde and looked at him beseechingly.

"We aren't supposed to be picking fights with them." she whispered in his ear. He nodded and backed down. Eric lowered his fists and Jackie noted the relieved look on his face. Then he turned to Jackie and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Jackie." he said, "I didn't do anything with Donna last night. She was upset and she had something to tell me. I stayed with her last night. We were up at the Water Tower."

"So, you didn't cheat on me with her?" Jackie asked in a small voice.

"Of course not." Eric told her soothingly, "She means nothing to me, Jackie. You're my wife."

Donna's mouth dropped open and tears began running down her cheeks. She had trusted Eric with her secret and now he was abandoning her because he know the truth. It wasn't fair.

"Eric, how can you say that after everything we've been through?" she sobbed, "I love you so much and I thought I meant at least a little bit to you."

Eric turned to look at Donna and reality slapped Jackie in the face. His emotions were written across his face as he looked at Donna. The love, desire and guilt, it was all there. He didn't really give a rat's ass about her, no matter what he said. Anger took over and Jackie flung herself at Donna. Gritting her teeth with burning hatred, she swiped crazily at Donna. Donna raised her arms as if to protect herself, obviously to worked up over everything else to fight back. Jackie's nails made long, red scratches across Donna's raised arms. She felt two strong pairs of arms trying to pull her away but she didn't want to give up. She pulled at Donna long hair and managed to pull out a large clump before Eric and Hyde managed to get her away.

Donna yelped in pain and Jackie burst into tears of anger and frustration. She let the clump of red hair spill to the ground. Donna began sobbing again and Eric looked torn between his wife and the woman he really loved. Hyde sat down on the couch to comfort Donna and Eric wrapped his arms around Jackie. But Jackie stiffened, not wanting him to touch her anymore. He didn't love her and she sure as hell didn't love him. But she had to play the part, if only to keep their marriage from falling apart. They were doing it for Tory, because they loved her.

Finally the crying stopped on both ends and Eric spoke, "You shouldn't have come back. Hyde, you don't deserve a daughter like Tory. You weren't even there for her up until now."

"You know why Eric, don't act like you don't." Donna shot back, looking warily in Jackie's direction. She probably thought Jackie was going to come after her again. Well good, Jackie thought to herself, let her be afraid.

"The reason isn't important." Eric said in a hard voice that reminded Donna, Hyde and Jackie of Red, "What matters is that I have always been there for Tory. And she will always be mine. So will Jackie."

"I love Jackie." Hyde stated in a firm voice, "And love always wins over everything else, eventually. Jackie will realize that she's wrong to stay with you. Then we will take Tory and start a new life."

"Get out of my house." Eric roared, angered at Hyde's prediction. He shot a look at Jackie and decided it wasn't safe for Donna to stay there with Jackie having the frame of mind she did, "And you too, Donna." he added in a softer voice.

"I'm never going to give up." Hyde yelled over his shoulder as Donna did her best to drag him out the door.

"You're never going to have Tory." Eric shouted after him. Jackie stepped up beside Eric.

"And you've stolen enough from me, Donna. You'll never have my husband." Jackie spoke up.

Donna and Hyde left the Forman home and drove back to the hotel in silence. But they both knew when they got back to the hotel, they would need to have another meeting with Kelso and Fez. Together, they would decide what to do about Jackie and Eric.

  
  


After Donna and Hyde had rounded up their two friends and filled them in on everything that had gone on at Jackie and Eric's home, they waited for one of them to speak.

Fez was quiet for just a minute, then spoke up excitedly, "You said that their last words to you were that Hyde would never have Tory and Donna would never have Eric?" he inquired.

"Yes," Donna replied, "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"I have the solution." Fez told her, his eyes lighting up, "I know what we've been missing all along. I have the solution to our problem."

  
  


Author's Note: I think this story is going to be wrapped up in two chapters or so. I hoped you liked the big blow-up between Jackie, Eric, Hyde and Donna.


	14. Time To Let It Go

Chapter Fourteen

  
  


"What are you talking about, Fez?" Kelso asked in confusion.

"I'm talking about Eric and Jackie." Fez elaborated, "It makes perfect sense. Eric doesn't want Hyde to have Tory and Jackie doesn't want Donna to have Eric. With Jackie, I think she's being stubborn because she really can't stand Donna. Whether she'll admit it or not, I think that she believes that Donna was trying to steal Hyde away so she could have him for herself."

"You have a point." Hyde admitted, "Because even if Eric doesn't like me very much, he wants to be with Donna. And if he had his way about it, I'm sure he'd want Tory, Donna and himself to all live together."

"That's probably all true." Donna admitted, "But how are we supposed to use that to help us get Eric and Jackie to split up?"

Hyde cleared his throat and began to speak, "Jackie doesn't know what happened to you, Donna. If she did, I'm sure she wouldn't hold such a big grudge against you. All you have to do is explain to her what happened and that you really love Eric."

"And then while she's talking to Jackie, Hyde could go and tell Eric that he doesn't want to take Tory away from him. Hyde, you could tell Eric that you want to share her." Kelso added.

"It might just work, except there's one problem." Donna spoke up, "Like you said, Jackie cannot stand me. How am I supposed to get her to listen to me?"

"That can be arranged." Fez smiled an evil smile, "We can make it so that Jackie has to talk to you. Whether she likes it or not."

  
  


Jackie looked up from the computer screen at work when she saw Laurie appear in front of her desk.

"It's the janitor's day off and there's a big spill in the kitchen. Go get some cleaner and help Ashley clean it up." Laurie ordered and Jackie stared at her in surprise.

"Why should I have to do it?" she said, insulted, "I'm too high up the ladder in this company to have to do cleaning work."

"I don't care how high up the ladder you are." Laurie retorted, angry that Jackie was being so difficult, "You are going to go do it because I am your boss and I told you to."

"Control freak." Jackie said under her breath, too quietly for Laurie to hear. Laurie was really on a power trip that day and it was just really annoying. Jackie was too engrossed in her own thoughts to notice Laurie was silently following her down the hall.

She went into the closet and tried the light that dangled above her head. It didn't work. Swearing under her breath, she had to squint to read the labels on the bottles of cleaners. But before she could find the one she was looking for, she heard the door behind her swish shut and the fumbling of keys. By the time she realized what was happening and tried the door it was locked. She heard Laurie laughed obnoxiously through the door.

"This isn't funny, Laurie, let me out." Jackie demanded but that only made Laurie laugh harder.

"Sorry, Jacks." she was finally able to say, "But I'll be back in an hour to let you out. If you cooperate."

"If I cooperate? What the hell?" Jackie kicked the door in frustration.

"I don't think Laurie would be very happy with you if you did damage to that door." a familiar voice said and Jackie whirled around. She managed to make out Donna's face in the dim light.

  
  


"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Eric asked, shifting nervously in his seat. Kelso had invited him down to the hotel café for lunch. But instead of meeting Kelso there, Hyde showed up and told Eric they needed to talk about something.

"I came to talk to you about Tory." Hyde said evenly after taking a long sip of his drink.

If Hyde was calm, Eric was anything but, "I don't care if you are her real father. I love that girl like my own daughter and you won't take her from me."

"I wasn't planning on doing that." Hyde replied, "I want to compromise with you."

"Compromise?" Eric repeat dumbly. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but it wasn't this.

"Here's the thing," Hyde began, "I love Jackie and I know you love Donna. This would be very simple, but we are in a dilemma over Tory. And I know you've been there for Tory when I wasn't and I'm grateful she had you. I wouldn't try to take her away from you. But as her real father, I deserve to be with Tory as well."

"So what are we going to do?" Eric asked, surprised at how reasonable Hyde was being, especially after their big fight the day before.

"I think that you and Jackie should divorce." Hyde began, "Then you could be with Donna and I could be with Jackie. And, to put it as simply as Kelso put it, we could then share Tory."

"And how do you plan on doing this?" Hyde was glad that Eric was being so open-minded and opened his mouth to explain.

  
  


"I should have known you were behind this." Jackie said accusingly. She had tried several times to get the door open but hadn't been successful.

"Jackie, I didn't get Fez to get Laurie to lock you in here to torture you." Donna told her, "But I really needed to talk to you."

"And getting me stuck in a smelly janitor's closet was the only way to do it?" Jackie asked, her was dripping with scorn and sarcasm.

"It doesn't smell that bad." Donna countered and Jackie grimaced.

"Do I have to listen to you in order to get out of here?" Jackie grumbled, even though she already knew the answer.

"Please," Donna pleaded, "It's important."

"Fine." Jackie said reluctantly, "Just get it over with so I can leave." 

"I know you think I stole Hyde from you on purpose, but that isn't true." Jackie laughed bitterly at those words but was immediately silenced by Donna, "I was never really interested in Hyde in a romantic way. But something happened and I didn't feel strong enough to stay in Point Place after it happened."

"Where does Hyde come in?" Jackie asked impatiently.

"Hyde was the only one who knew what happened." Donna explained, "He know how much I was hurting and on top of that, he was scared of making any big commitments because of how his parent's marriage had turned out. So we left Point Place together, as friends and as friends only."

"What happened?" Jackie asked, softening slightly.

Donna was glad it was dark so Jackie couldn't see the sorrowful and ashamed expression on her face, "We went to school with someone named Rick. He was a friend of Kelso's. Do you remember him?"

"Yes." Jackie answered after having to go back and think about it for a moment.

"About a week before Hyde and I left Point Place, he offered me a ride home." Donna took a deep breath before continuing, "And then he raped me."

"Oh my god, Donna. I'm so sorry." Jackie's words were genuine and Donna was glad she seemed less hateful now.

"My period was late and I made an appointment to go to the doctor's. I asked Hyde to come with me and then we found out-" Donna was too choked up with emotion to speak for a moment. No matter how many times she told the story, it never got any easier, "We found out that I would never be able to have kids. I thought Eric wouldn't love me anymore if we found out, so we left."

Jackie remembered all the times she had called Donna a whore, slut, tramp and too many other nasty things to count ever since she had come back. She felt rotten about it now. If she had known everything Donna had gone through, she never would have acted like such a bitch to her. She was so caught up in her own feelings of guilt and shock that it took her a minute to realize Donna was crying.

"Donna, it's okay." Jackie reached over to hug her, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Jackie knew at that moment she couldn't keep bottling up all the hate and spite inside her. She couldn't hang on to Eric just to make Donna miserable, especially when she wanted to be with someone else too. It was time to let it go. And once she did, everyone could have what they really wanted.


	15. A Successful Failure

Chapter Fifteen

  
  


"Hey, Jackie." Jackie had finally retreated back into her office and had began working again. It was about an hour or two later. She looked up from her work to see Eric standing there.

As much as Jackie wanted to be at least a little angry at him for everything that had happened, she couldn't be. Their marriage had been a mistake but they couldn't blame each other for that. Everything they had been through had been just as much her fault as it had been his.

"Hi, Eric." she said, smiling softly and gesturing for him to sit down. He sat in an armchair facing her desk.

"I guess this is it, then." he stated, "We'll get the divorce papers and it will be the end of us." Eric didn't sound sorry at all.

"Remember how determined we were to keep our marriage together when Steven and Donna first came back?" Jackie laughed and tried to make the whole situation as easy as she could for both of them.

"We never should have gotten married." Eric admitted, "It was wrong from the beginning. I would have probably taken this whole thing a whole lot easier if it hadn't been for Tory......"

Jackie stared at him, wondering how the whole thing with Tory was going to work out. Tory was, after all, Steven and Jackie's real daughter. But Jackie still thought Eric deserved to spend a lot of time with Tory because of everything he had done for her starting from the day she was born.

"About Tory, I don't know how we're going t-" Jackie was cut off by Eric.

"It's okay, Jacks. I already talked to Hyde and we have the whole thing settled out." Eric explained. Jackie sighed with relief. Eric flashed her a wry smile.

"I guess we had a successful failure then." Eric remarked, "We both are going to get what we wanted but what we tried to do in the first place fell apart."

"Eric, I'm sorry for lying to you about being Tory's father." Jackie was suddenly overwhelmed with guilt by her role in complicating everything for them, "I know I hurt you and I never wanted to do that. I want us to still be friends."

"And we will," Eric assured her, "Hyde and I are friends again and from what I hear, you and Donna are friends again. And now that all six members of the gang are all in Point Place, everything will be just like it was five years ago."

"I'm glad we're all going to be best friends again." Jackie smiled. Eric left the office soon after that and she went back to work. But once again, only half an hour later or so, she was interrupted again.

She looked up into Steven's pale blue eyes and stood up. She walked around the desk so that she was standing beside him.

"I guess you've heard." she said, gazing up at him adoringly as he took one of her small hands into his own.

He leaned over and pulled her face closer to his so that their lips were touching. Jackie deepened the kiss and the two of them were soon on top of the desk, kissing passionately. Steven slipped his tongue into the inside of her mouth and she ran her hands through his thick curls. Finally the pulled apart and Steven helped Jackie off the desk. Her work was now a mess but she didn't care.

"I love you, Steven Hyde." she told him as he wrapped his strong arms around her. He kissed the top of her head before replying. 

"And I love you, Jackie Berkhart." he responded in a low, husky voice, "I always have." Jackie didn't even try to argue with him. He had worked so hard to get her back and he hadn't backed down until she was back in his arms. Where it felt so right to both of them for her to be. Jackie knew that this time, Steven was there for keeps.

  
  


"Eric, what did you want to tell me?"

Eric stroked Donna's long red hair before replying, "I talked to Jackie. And we're going to get a divorce. I never loved Jackie, it was always you and only you, Donna." Eric stopped talking when he saw tears falling from Donna's eyes, "Donna, what's wrong?"

Donna smiled through her tears, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just so happy. Because I screwed up so bad and you're actually wonderful enough to take me back after."

"Yes, but I'm weak Donna. I can't live without you being a part of my life. You complete me." Eric brushed away her tears with his thumb and she laughed.

"I have to stop crying so much." she commented, "You'd think I was emotionally unstable or something."

Eric wrapped his arms around Donna's waist. He stared into her eyes for a moment and she tilted her head slightly. Before he even knew what was happening, their lips were pressed together firmly. Donna's hands moved slowly up Eric's chest and then entwined around his neck. Their lips continued moving, making contact with the objects of their desire and becoming even hungrier for more. It was even better than the last time they had done this, because Eric didn't need to feel even an ounce of guilt. He and Jackie were getting divorced and he was pretty sure she was out there somewhere kissing Hyde just like he was kissing Donna.

Suddenly Donna pulled herself away from Eric and reached under the bed at her hotel. She pulled out a pink jewellery box. She picked up a shiny, diamond ring and Eric knew he had seen the ring before. Then he realized it was the engagement ring he had given her.

"I never forgot about this." she said softly, placing it in Eric's hand. He took one look at the affectionate expression in her eyes and he knew what she wanted him to do. He placed the ring on her ring finger.

"Donna Pinciotti, will you marry me?" he asked and Donna nodded wordlessly. Then she pulled on the collar of his jacket and pulled him into another deep, probing kiss.

  
  


Six Months Later

  
  


Tory came walking down the aisle in a baby pink dress with a basket of flower petals in her hand. She smiled proudly as she picked up a handful of red rose petals and let them spill to the ground. She was the flower girl in the joint wedding of Steven and Jackie and Eric and Donna. Eric and Jackie's divorce had been quick and painless. There wasn't even a fight over custody of Tory. Eric and Donna kept the house, Hyde and Jackie kept Tory on weekdays and Eric spent time with her on weekends. A small smile lit up Eric's face as he remembered the day the divorce had become final. Tory was so sweet and easygoing about everything. They told Tory that she had two daddies and two mommies.

Donna loved Tory like her own daughter, just as Eric did. She was glad that Tory called her mommy, especially since she would never be able to have kids.

The wedding ceremony continued on and finally both couples kissed. After that the photographer took pictures of everyone that had been in the wedding. Fez and Laurie's five year old son had been the ring bearer, Fez and Kelso had been the best men and Laurie, Leandra and Kitty had been the bridesmaids.

After the pictures were taken, they went into the large courtyard in the middle of church were all the food was being served. Kelso caught up with Jackie, Eric, Donna and Hyde, his faced flushed with excitement.

"I proposed to Leandra last night." he told them excitedly, "And she said yes. We're going to get married."

"That's great, Michael. Congratulations." Jackie smiled warmly at him and everyone else joined in on congratulating him. Jackie looked over to wear Leandra was standing, talking to Laurie in her pale pink bridesmaid's gown. She saw Jackie watching her and smiled at her. Her almost purple eyes were glowing happily and Jackie smiled back. She was glad everything had turned out so well for all her friends.

Finally two black limo's pulled up and the four friend's raced towards them. Everyone threw birdseed in the air as they hurried along the path to their limo's. Eric and Jackie were going on a honeymoon to Hawaii and Hyde and Jackie would be going to Las Vegas. Before they left, they all hugged.

"Have fun in Hawaii." Jackie said to Donna once they had stopped hugging.

"And you have fun in Las Vegas." Donna returned, "See you guys in two weeks." she and Eric got into their limo and Hyde and Jackie got into their limo.

Kelso came up behind Leandra and put his arm around her. Together they watched in silence as the two limo's pulled away from the curb and drove off.

"Do you think our wedding will be this wonderful, Kelso?" she asked him in a dreamy voice. Kelso kissed her lips softly before replying.

"It will be better." he answered and she sighed happily. Kelso watched as the two limo's became smaller and smaller, the white 'Just Married' signs on the back looking like tiny white dots. Kelso then leaned over to whisper in Leandra's ear.

"Eric told me that now that he and Donna are married, they can adopt kids." Kelso said in a quiet voice, "Once they get back, they're adopting these two little twin girls. They're redheads, just like Donna."

"That's fantastic." Leandra beamed at Kelso, "I can't wait until I meet them and see what they're like."

"They're the same age as Tory too, so they can all play together." Kelso added and he saw a mischievous glint in Leandra's eye, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well, I found something out yesterday." she said mysteriously, "And I need to know what you want to do? Do you want to wait the nine months or do you want to get married now, before I start looking like I swallowed a balloon?"

The words sunk in and Kelso picked Leandra up and spun her around, "You're pregnant?" he asked.

She nodded, "I found out this morning."

Kelso wrapped his arms around her, feeling happier than he had in a long time. He had Leandra, Fez had Laurie, Eric had Donna and Hyde had Jackie. Everything had worked out perfectly for all his friend's and he hoped that it would stay that way for a very long time.


End file.
